Preoperative pulmonary evaluation for lung resection.

Preoperative assessment is a very crucial step in anesthesia management. Anatomical resection (lobectomy or pneumonectomy) offers best long-term prognosis to a lung cancer patient. At the same time, surgery cannot be offered to a patient who is expected to become ventilator dependent, postoperatively. Hence, it is very important to have an objective preoperative assessment for risk stratification. This review article provides a systematic approach for the prognostication of patients planned for pulmonary resection.

Aspergilloma of the Lung: Strategy to Prevent Endobronchial Spillage.

Aspergilloma of the lung eroding into the airway may lead to perioperative endobronchial spillage and contamination of the normal lung. Our aim in this group of patients who are undergoing robotic- or video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy is to protect the contralateral lung and, if possible, uninvolved lobes of ipsilateral lung. Double-lumen endobronchial tubes do provide lung protection to the contralateral lung intraoperatively, but there is no protection to the ipsilateral lung lobes not involved by the disease process. Moreover, there is no lung protection against endobronchial spillage during the period of induction of general anesthesia, when the cough reflex and gag reflex are absent. We have devised a technique to advance from side selection to lobe selection, that is, selective lobar isolation to prevent perioperative contamination of uninvolved lung lobes. This technique has two components viz positioning of the patient and securing the airway. The technique can also be used in other conditions such as hydatid cyst of the lung, lung abscess communicating with the airway and bleeding into the airway.

Anesthesia for joint replacement surgery: Issues with coexisting diseases.

The first joint replacement surgery was performed in 1919. Since then, joint replacement surgery has undergone tremendous development in terms of surgical technique and anesthetic management. In this era of nuclear family and independent survival, physical mobility is of paramount importance. In recent years, with an increase in life expectancy, advances in geriatric medicine and better insurance coverage, the scenario of joint replacement surgery has changed significantly. Increasing number of young patients are undergoing joint replacement for pathologies like rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis. The diverse pathologies and wide range of patient population brings unique challenges for the anesthesiologist. This article deals with anesthetic issues in joint replacement surgery in patients with comorbidities.