Imaging aid for thoracic surgery: multidetector-row computed tomography evaluation of the tracheobronchial structure and bronchial tube selection for one-lung anesthesia.
OBJECTIVE
The tracheobronchial structures were evaluated by multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT), which provided imaging information for one-lung anesthesia during thoracic surgery.


METHODS
The subjects consisted of 100 patients. Three-dimensional (3D) images of the tracheobronchial structures and the bronchial tubes were created.


RESULTS
Individual differences were found in the tracheobronchial structures in 100 patients. The length and the diameter of the right main bronchus were measured with 3D images and were not related to the patient's physical appearance, such as body height. Problematic intubation cases included a short right main bronchus <10 mm, an anomaly of the right bronchus, and tracheal stenosis.


CONCLUSIONS
The 3D images demonstrated problematic areas of the tracheobronchial structure and helped the anesthesiologists select the most appropriate bronchial tube suitable for the tracheobronchial structure variations. Therefore, this technique is considered to contribute to safer performance of one-lung anesthesia.
Okuda
Itsuko
I
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Toranomon Hospital, 2-2-2 Toranomon Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8470, Japan. okudai-tora@umin.ac.jp
Yamase
Hiromi
H
Ogawa
Shigeru
S
Udagawa
Harushi
H
Kohno
Tadasu
T
D000328:Adult; D000768:Anesthesia, General / Q000379:methods*; D001980:Bronchi / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D001995:Bronchography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic / Q000379:methods; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D014132:Trachea / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*