Anaesthetic equipment for thoracic surgery

One-lung anaesthesia is becoming an increasing necessity for thoracic operations. Knowledge of the required apparatus is essential for anaesthetists. Developed in the 1950s from apparatus for measuring individual lung function, the double-lumen endobronchial tube remains the most widely used piece of equipment in this field. The early rubber tubes are giving way to those of modern plastic materials, but the principle and function of the double-lumen tube remains unchanged. Positioning the tubes has been improved by the introduction of robust fine fibreoptic bronchoscopes, while the old principle of the bronchial blocker has also made a comeback recently, both stimulated by the availability of new materials and better fibreoptics. This article outlines the development and use of the currently available double-lumen tubes and bronchus blockers. It concludes with some comparisons between the two methods of lung isolation.