Asynchronous differential lung ventilation in a patient with unilateral lung disease undergoing laparoscopic Heller myotomy

Abstract

Differential lung ventilation has been used in unilateral lung disease cases; wherein protective ventilation strategies failed to maintain adequate oxygenation without damaging the lung parenchyma. It has also been used to manage bronchopleural fistula cases, caused or exacerbated by positive pressure ventilation.1 Although this ventilatory strategy is useful for preventing mechanical ventilation damage in critically ill patients, there have only been a few reports of the application of differential lung ventilation in surgery.2-4 We report the perioperative management and outcome of a unilateral lung disease patient who underwent laparoscopic surgery with differential lung ventilation under general anesthesia. The patient in this report provided written informed consent for publication.