Case report: Anaesthesia for thoracotomy in a child with foreign body in left main bronchus

Abstract

We describe a case report of a 5-year old girl who presented with foreign body impacted in left bronchus. A sharp foreign body had pierced the wall of left main bronchus making removal by bronchoscopy difficult, and a previous attempt at bronchoscopy had led to clinical deterioration of patient, requiring resuscitation and mechanical ventilation. Patient was subsequently extubated when condition improved. Anaesthesia for thoracotomy was induced with Fentanyl, Propofol, Atracurium and maintained with Sevoflurane with Oxygen/Air. One lung ventilation was achieved with right endobronchial intubation. Epidural analgesia was used postoperatively. Recovery was uneventful. Thoracotomy with One Lung Ventilation in a paediatric patient require suitable anaesthesia techniques along with good postoperative pain relief leading to early recovery.