Use of bronchial blockers: a retrospective review of 302 cases.

The purpose of this retrospective review is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the bronchial blockers (BBs) used in thoracic anesthesia. We enrolled 302 patients who had a BB placed to achieve one-lung ventilation (OLV). Variables recorded from the anesthetic record included type of device used, type and side of surgery, specific indications for OLV, Mallampati score, route of intubation, and complications related to the use of BBs.

Training in placement of the left-sided double-lumen tube among non-thoracic anaesthesiologists: intubation model simulator versus computer-based digital video disc, a randomised controlled trial.

Objectives: To compare the effectiveness of training with an airway model simulator versus digital video disc (DVD)-based instruction in placement of double-lumen endotracheal (DLT) tubes by anaesthesiologists with limited thoracic experience.

Design: Single academic centre parallel randomised controlled trial with computer-generated random allocation.

Participants: Sixty patients undergoing elective thoracic or oesophageal surgeries requiring one-lung ventilation.

Devices for lung isolation used by anesthesiologists with limited thoracic experience: comparison of double-lumen endotracheal tube, Univent torque control blocker, and Arndt wire-guided endobronchial blocker.

Background: Lung isolation is accomplished with a double-lumen tube or a bronchial blocker. Previous studies comparing lung isolation methods were performed by experienced anesthesiologists in thoracic anesthesia. Therefore, the results of these studies may not be relevant to the anesthesiologist with limited experience.