Management of Intraoperative Crisis During Nonintubated Thoracic Surgery.

Nonintubated video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery programs have gradually spread all over the world. The benefits are based on less invasiveness and earlier recovery. However, complications may appear. For the correct prevention and management of all these potentially critical situations, the principles of crisis resource management (CRM) must be followed. They should also include clinical simulation as a tool to generate different scenarios to improve teamwork. The purpose of this special issue is to appraise and summarize the design, implementation, and efficacy of simulation-based CRM training programs for a specific surgery, including the management of specific surgical and medical critical scenarios.

Anatomic Segmentectomy in Nonintubated Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery.

Thoracic surgery has evolved into minimally invasive surgery, in terms of not only surgical approach but also less aggressive anesthesia protocols and lung-sparing resections. Nonintubated anatomic segmentectomies are challenging procedures but can be safely performed if some essentials are considered. Strict selection criteria, previous experience in minor procedures, multidisciplinary cooperation, and the 4 cornerstones (deep sedation, regional analgesia, oxygenation support and vagal blockade) should be followed. Better outcomes in postoperative recovery, including resumption of oral intake, chest tube duration, and hospital stay, and low complication and conversion rates, are encouraging but should be checked in larger multicenter prospective randomized trials.

Intraoperative crisis resource management during a non-intubated video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery.

The management of surgical and medical intraoperative emergencies are included in the group of high acuity (high potential severity of an event and the patient impact) and low opportunity (the frequency in which the team is required to manage the event). This combination places the patient into a situation where medical errors could happen more frequently. Although medical error are ubiquitous and inevitable we should try to establish the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes needed for effective team performance and to guide the development of a critical event. This strategy would probably reduce the incidence of error and improve decision-making. The way to apply it comes from the application of the management of critical events in the airline industry. Its use in a surgical environment is through the crisis resource management (CRM) principles. The CRM tries to develop all the non-technical skills necessary in a critical situation, but not only that, also includes all the tools needed to prevent them. The purpose of this special issue is to appraise and summarize the design, implementation, and efficacy of simulation-based CRM training programs for a specific surgery such as the non-intubated video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery.