New trends in anaesthesia for thoracic surgery including thoracoscopy

Comparison between intermittent intravenous analgesia and intermittent paravertebral subpleural analgesia for pain relief after thoracotomy

OBJECTIVE

In the present prospective double-blind randomized trial, the effects of intermittent paravertebral subpleural bupivacaine and morphine on pain management in patients undergoing thoracotomy were evaluated and compared with intermittent systemic analgesia.

METHODS

Forty-five patients undergoing elective lobectomy were included in the present study. Three randomized groups consisting of 15 patients each were compared. Those in the control group were administered intravenously with tramadol 100 mg plus metamizol 1000 mg every 4 h for 3 days. We placed the catheter just below the parietal pleura along the paravertebral sulcus at the level of T5-T7. At the end of the operation and every 4 h thereafter, the patients received either 1.5 mg kg(-1) bupivacaine (bupivacaine group) or 0.2 mg kg(-1) morphine sulfate (morphine group) with paravertebral subpleural catheter for 3 days. Data regarding demographics, visual analog pain scores, need for supplementary intravenous analgesia, pulmonary function tests, and postoperative pulmonary complications were recorded for each patient.

RESULTS

Visual analog pain scores (visual analog scale (VAS)) were lower in the morphine and bupivacaine groups compared with control group at all postoperative time points. The mean postoperative VAS was significantly different between the control and bupivacaine groups at postoperative hour 12, the control and morphine groups at postoperative hours 6, 12, 48, and 72, and the bupivacaine and morphine groups at postoperative hours 6 and 24 (p<0.05). In the control group, additional analgesic requirement was significantly higher than in the bupivacaine and morphine groups (p<0.05). Postoperative pulmonary complications occurred in three patients (20%) in the control group, in two patients (13%) in the bupivacaine group, and in one (6%) in the morphine group.

CONCLUSIONS

The patients undergoing lung resection through a thoracotomy were observed with reduced postoperative pain and better surgical outcomes with respect to the length of hospital stay, postoperative forced expiratory volume in the first second, pulmonary complications, and need for bronchoscopic management, when paravertebral subpleural analgesia was induced by morphine.

The Effects of Acute Isovolemic Hemodilution on Oxygenation During One-Lung Ventilation

Data on the effects of isovolemic hemodilution (IH) on oxygenation during one-lung ventilation (OLV) are lacking. We studied 47 patients with hemoglobin >14 g/dL who were scheduled for lung surgery (17 with normal lung function [group NL], 17 with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD] [group COPD], and 13 with COPD as control for time/anesthesia effects [group CTRL]). Anesthesia was standardized. The tracheas were intubated with a double-lumen tube. Ventilatory settings and fraction of inspired oxygen remained constant. The study was performed with patients in the supine position before surgery. OLV was initiated for 15 min. Two-lung ventilation was reinstituted, and IH was performed (500 mL); an identical volume of hydroxyethyl starch was administered. Subsequently, OLV was again performed for 15 min. In group CTRL, the same sequences of OLV were performed without IH. At the end of each period of OLV, pulmonary mechanics and blood gases were recorded. Data were analyzed by analysis of variance (mean +/- sd). In group NL and group CTRL, the arterial oxygen partial pressure remained constant, whereas it decreased in group COPD from 119 +/- 21 mm Hg before IH to 86 +/- 16 mm Hg after IH (P <0.01). Mild IH impairs gas exchange during OLV in COPD patients, but not in patients with normal lung function.

Fisiopatologia e manejo clínico da ventilação seletiva

A ventilação seletiva consiste em ventilar um pulmão mecanicamente enquanto o outro é ocluído ou exposto ao ar ambiente. Essa técnica permite visualizar as estruturas intratorácicas e, assim, fornecer excelentes condições cirúrgicas. Todo o volume corrente é administrado apenas para um único pulmão. Entretanto, este procedimento está associado à redução da pressão parcial arterial de oxigênio, principalmente em pacientes com comprometimento pulmonar prévio, por diminuição na superfície da área de troca gasosa e perda da auto-regulação pulmonar normal. Sendo assim, a manutenção da oxigenação e a eliminação de gás carbônico adequadas representam o maior desafio durante o manejo da ventilação seletiva. Preconiza-se que o pulmão dependente seja ventilado com um volume corrente similar àquele utilizado para ventilar ambos os pulmões na ventilação mecânica convencional, além de altas frações inspiradas de oxigênio. Entretanto, vários outros métodos vêm sendo propostos a fim de minimizar a hipoxemia durante a ventilação seletiva: conferir o correto posicionamento do tubo de duplo-lúmen, uso de pressão positiva ao final da expiração, pressão contínua nas vias aéreas, uso de óxido nítrico, ventilação de alta freqüência e recrutamento alveolar. O manejo da ventilação seletiva continua sendo um desafio à prática clínica.

Intrinsic positive end-expiratory pressure during one-lung ventilation of patients with pulmonary hyperinflation. Influence of low respiratory rate with unchanged minute volume

BACKGROUND

We measured lung mechanics and gas exchange during one-lung ventilation (OLV) of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, using three respiratory rates (RR) and unchanged minute volume.

METHODS

We studied 15 patients about to undergo lung surgery, during anaesthesia, and placed in the lateral position. Ventilation was with constant minute volume, inspiratory flow and FIO2. For periods of 15 min, RR of 5, 10, and 15 bpm were applied in a random sequence and recordings were made of lung mechanics and an arterial blood gas sample was taken. Data were analysed with the repeated measures ANOVA and paired t-test with Bonferroni correction.

RESULTS

PaO2 changes were not significant. At the lowest RR, PaCO2 decreased (from 42 (SD 4) mm Hg at RR 15-41 (4) mm Hg at RR 10 and 39 (4) mm Hg at RR 5, P<0.01), and end-tidal carbon dioxide increased (from 33 (5) mm Hg at RR 15 to 35 (5) mm Hg at RR 10 and 36 (6) mm Hg at RR 5, P<0.01). Intrinsic positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEPi) was reduced even with larger tidal volumes (from 6 (4) cm H2O at RR 15-5 (4) cm H2O at RR 10, and 3 (3) cm H2O at RR 5, P<0.01), most probably caused by increased expiratory time at the lowest RR.

CONCLUSION

A reduction in RR reduces PEEPi and hypercapnia during OLV in anaesthetized patients with chronic obstructive lung disease.

Pathophysiology of one-lung ventilation

The management of some problematic patients having thoracic surgery is among the most difficult challenges for the anesthesiologist. Increasingly complex operations are performed on seriously compromised patients because of the development of new surgical techniques and the anesthesiologists' awareness of surgical needs and requirements to provide a satisfactory and safe surgical field. In order to facilitate thoracic surgery, the single most important and valuable anesthetic technique used actually is one-lung ventilation. This article reviews the complex pathopysiology of one-lung ventilation.

Substantial changes in arterial blood gases during thoracoscopic surgery can be missed by conventional intermittent laboratory blood gas analyses

Substantial and clinically relevant changes in arterial blood gases are likely to occur during thoracoscopic surgery with one-lung ventilation (OLV). We hypothesized that they may be missed when using the conventional intermittent blood gas sampling practice. Therefore, during 30 thoracoscopic procedures with OLV, the sampling intervals between consecutive intermittent laboratory blood gas analyses (BGA) were evaluated with respect to changes of PaO2, PaCO2, and pHa ([H+]) using a continuous intraarterial blood gas monitoring system. Frequency and timing of BGA were based on the clinical judgment of 16 experienced anesthesiologists who were blinded to the continuously measured values. Extreme fluctuations of PaO2 (37-625 mm Hg), PaCO2 (27-56 mm Hg), and pHa (7.24-7.51) were observed by continuous blood gas monitoring. During 63% of all sampling intervals, PaO2 decreased >20% compared with the preceding BGA value, which remained undetected by intermittent analysis. In 10 patients with a continuously measured minimal PaO2 value < or = 60 mm Hg, the preceding BGA overestimated this minimal PaO2 by > 47%. Correspondingly, PaCO2 increases of > 10% were observed in 35% of all sampling intervals, and [H+] increases of > 10% were observed in 24% of all sampling intervals. Because these blood gas changes were not reliably detected by using noninvasive monitoring and their magnitude is not predictable during OLV, intermittent BGA with short sampling intervals is warranted. In critical cases, continuous blood gas monitoring may be helpful.

IMPLICATIONS

The magnitude of blood gas changes during thoracoscopic surgery with one-lung ventilation is not predictable and not reliably detected by noninvasive monitoring. Using a continuous intraarterial blood gas monitoring device, we demonstrated that intermittent laboratory blood gas analysis with short sampling intervals is warranted to detect arterial hypoxemia.

Prospective, randomized comparison of extrapleural versus epidural analgesia for postthoracotomy pain

BACKGROUND

Thoracic epidural analgesia is considered the method of choice for postthoracotomy analgesia, but it is not suitable for every patient and is associated with some risks and side effects. We therefore evaluated the effects of an extrapleural intercostal analgesia as an alternative to thoracic epidural analgesia.

METHODS

In a prospective, randomized study, pain control, recovery of ventilatory function, and pulmonary complications were analyzed in patients undergoing elective lobectomy or bilobectomy. Two groups of 15 patients each were compared: one received a continuous extrapleural intercostal nerve blockade (T3 through T6) with bupivacaine through an indwelling catheter, the other was administered a combination of local anesthetics (bupivacaine) and opioid analgesics (fentanyl) through a thoracic epidural catheter.

RESULTS

Both techniques were safe and highly effective in terms of pain relief and recovery of postoperative pulmonary function. However, minor differences were observed that, together with practical benefits, would favor extrapleural intercostal analgesia.

CONCLUSIONS

These results led us to suggest that extrapleural intercostal analgesia might be a valuable alternative to thoracic epidural analgesia for pain control after thoracotomy and should particularly be considered in patients who do not qualify for thoracic epidural analgesia.

Interrupted expiratory flow on automatically constructed flow-volume curves may determine the presence of intrinsic positive end-expiratory pressure during one-lung ventilation

We studied patients undergoing elective pulmonary surgery to establish whether observing interrupted expiratory flow (IEF) on the flow-volume curves constructed by the Ultima SV respiratory monitor is a reliable way to identify patients with dynamic pulmonary hyperinflation and intrinsic positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEPi). Patients' tracheas were intubated with a double-lumen endotracheal tube and ventilated with a Siemens 900C constant flow ventilator. In 30 patients, PEEPi was determined by the end-expiratory occlusion (EEO) method during the periods of two-lung and one-lung ventilation in the lateral position. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and diagnostic accuracy of the IEF method were calculated. From the 122 measurement pairs, PEEPi was identified with the EEO method in 65 occasions. The mean level of PEEPi was 4.4 cm H2O. During one-lung ventilation, the level of PEEPi and the number of true-positive findings was significantly higher (PEEPi = 4.7 cm H2O and 32 episodes) than during two-lung ventilation (2.9 cm H2O and 19 episodes). When the level of PEEPi was higher than 5 cm H2O, the predictive value of IEF was 100%. The overall sensitivity of the IEF method was 0.78, its specificity was 0.91, and its predictive value was 0.92. In conclusion, examination of the flow-volume curves displayed on the respiratory monitor may identify patients with dynamic hyperinflation and PEEPi during anesthesia for thoracic surgery.

IMPLICATIONS

To identify patients with intrinsic positive end-expiratory pressure during anesthesia without the need to interrupt mechanical ventilation, the flow-volume curves of an online respiratory monitor may be examined. The presence of an interrupted expiratory flow may suggest the presence of intrinsic positive end-expiratory pressure with a reasonable accuracy.

Airway pressure changes during one-lung ventilation

This investigation analyzed the changes in inspiratory airway pressures during transition from two-lung to one-lung ventilation in patients tracheally intubated with a double-lumen endotracheal tube (DLT) using a classical method of intubation without fiberoptic bronchoscopy. All patients were anesthetized in a standardized fashion. Ventilation was accomplished with the Siemens 900 constant-flow mechanical ventilator (Solna, Sweden). Peak (Ppeak) and plateau (Pplateau) inspiratory airway pressures were recorded with an on-line respiratory monitor before and after clamping the tracheal limb of the DLT. The position of the DLTs was evaluated by fiberoptic bronchoscopy with the patient in supine position. Of the 51 intubations, the DLT was malpositioned in 15 cases (29.5%). Ppeak and Pplateau increased significantly when switched from two-lung ventilation to one-lung ventilation in both correctly and incorrectly positioned DLTs. When the DLT was in a correct position, Ppeak increased by a mean of 55.1% and Pplateau increased by a mean of 41.9%. When the DLT was malpositioned, this increase was significantly larger (74.9% and 68.8%, respectively). Three tests commonly used as markers of malpositioned DLTs were evaluated based on the data of this study, and it was established that, although the pressure differences related to position are statistically significant, as a single value, they cannot be used for clinical decision making.