Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
One-lung ventilation is safe for dogs in thoracoscopic surgery
By Mastorakis, Andrea N et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2026·Matthew J. Ryan Veterinary Hospital, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: One-lung ventilation is well tolerated in dogs undergoing thoracoscopic surgery irrespective of device or side of lung blocked.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 93 dogs, mostly older and weighing around 26.8 kg, underwent thoracoscopic surgery using a technique called one-lung ventilation (OLV), where one lung is temporarily collapsed. Most dogs tolerated this procedure well, with OLV being successful in 90 of them. Some dogs experienced mild to moderate breathing issues during surgery, but these usually resolved after the procedure without needing to switch to a more invasive surgery. Overall, OLV proved to be a safe option for these dogs during their surgeries.
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To report on placement and perioperative outcomes associated with one-lung ventilation (OLV) devices utilized in dogs undergoing thoracoscopic surgery. METHODS: This multi-institutional retrospective study included dogs undergoing OLV for elective thoracoscopic surgery between January 2013 and December 2023. Patient data, OLV technique, surgical and anesthetic complications, and perioperative blood gases were recorded. Success of OLV was defined as sustained collapse of the intended lung. Complications were graded from 1 (mild) to 5 (death or euthanasia). RESULTS: 93 dogs (47 female, 46 male) were included. The median age was 9.5 years (range, 0.08 to 14.7 years) and median weight was 26.8 kg (range, 2.5 to 62.8 kg). Devices used for OLV included endobronchial blockers (n = 71), double-lumen tubes (15), selective intubation with an endotracheal tube (1), or unspecified (6). One-lung ventilation was successful in 90 dogs. Conversion to an open approach occurred in 23 cases and was secondary to complications of OLV in 4 cases. Grade 2 (moderate) and 3 (severe) hypercapnia were recorded in 62 of 93 dogs and 11 of 93 dogs, respectively. Grade 2 and 3 hypoxemia were recorded in 10 of 93 dogs and 6 of 93 dogs, respectively. Dogs with left bronchus blockade had significantly lower odds of grade 2 hypoxemia compared to dogs with right bronchus blockade. CONCLUSIONS: OLV was successful in most cases. Intraoperative hypercapnia and hypoxemia were commonly reported, but rarely led to conversion and typically resolved postoperatively. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: OLV is a well-tolerated technique in dogs undergoing thoracoscopic procedures with excellent short-term outcomes.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41849823/