Hypoxemia due to Obstruction of the Main Bronchus during Spinal Anesthesia in Patient with Bronchiectasis / 대한마취과학회지

ABSTRACT

A 75-year-old male patient with a left intertrochanteric fracture underwent emergency total hip arthroplasty under spinal anesthesia. He had an operation for laryngeal cancer about 10 years ago. Bronchiectasis and atelectasis were noticed in his preoperative roentgenogram. He underwent spinal anesthesia with 13 mg of 0.5% isobaric tetracaine. The level of spinal anesthesia was T7. The SpO2 (oxygen saturation of pulse oxymeter) decreased to 55% at 1 hour after start of operation. Breath sounds on the right lung were diminished. Tracheal intubation was performed for endotracheal suction. A large amount of yellowish secretion was aspirated through suction catheter. The SpO2 returned to 98%. We report a case of severe hypoxemia due to inability of expectoration in patient with bronchiectasis who underwent spinal anesthesia.