The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, Vol 19, 248-253, Copyright © 1975 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
Anesthesia for prolonged bronchoscopy
LB Perry and DR Sanderson
At the Mayo Clinic, experience with 22 patients undergoing bronchoscopy on
29 occasions has shown that prolonged operative manipulation in the airway
can be carried out safely and satisfactorily using general anesthesia.
Requisites for this procedure include a period of apneic oxygenation, an
adequate-sized endotracheal tube, hyperventilation of the patient during
operative manipulation, and careful attention to management of
postoperative bronchospasm. Prolonged bronchoscopy under general anesthesia
has permitted localization of occult bronchogenic carcinoma at an earlier
stage than has been possible up to this point.