Routine Extraluminal Use of the 5F Arndt Endobronchial Blocker for One-Lung Ventilation in Children up to 24 Months of Age

Abstract

THORACIC SURGERY in neonates, infants, and small children increasingly is performed with minimally invasive techniques including thoracoscopy.1 One-lung ventilation (OLV) optimizes exposure during thoracoscopic surgery.1 The pediatric size 5F Arndt Endobronchial Blocker (AEB) (Cook Medical Inc, Bloomington, IN) has been used successfully for lung isolation in children. A removable loop protruding through its central lumen is used to guide it with a fiberoptic bronchoscope (FOB) into the mainstem bronchus.