title: Urgent awake thoracoscopic treatment of retained haemothorax associated with respiratory failure.
abstract: A number of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) procedures are being increasingly performed by awake anesthesia in an attempt of minimizing the surgical- and anesthesia-related traumas. However, so far the usefulness of awake VATS for urgent management of retained haemothorax has been scarcely investigated. Herein we present two patients with retained haemothorax following previous thoracentesis and blunt chest trauma, respectively, who developed acute respiratory failure and underwent successful urgent awake VATS management under local anesthesia through a single trocar access.
authors.affiliation: Departments of 1 Thoracic Surgery, 2 Pulmonology, 3 Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Policlinico Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Eugenio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pompeo
authors.affiliation: Departments of 1 Thoracic Surgery, 2 Pulmonology, 3 Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Policlinico Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Benedetto
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cristino
authors.affiliation: Departments of 1 Thoracic Surgery, 2 Pulmonology, 3 Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Policlinico Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rogliani
authors.affiliation: Departments of 1 Thoracic Surgery, 2 Pulmonology, 3 Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Policlinico Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dauri
keywords: Haemothorax; awake video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS); complication; nonintubated VATS; respiratory failure; urgent setting