Anesthesia for patients with diaphragmatic hernia and severe dyspnea.

Problems facing a patient with severe dyspnea secondary to diaphragmatic herniation are hypoxia, hypercarbia and respiratory acidosis, and cardiovascular instability. It is easy to precipitate a crisis in these patients during anesthetic induction as a result of stress, bad positioning, induction of pneumothorax, or inappropriate anesthetic technique. These patients require a smooth, stress-free perianesthetic period with preoxygenation, positioning with the affected side down, rapid intravenous induction, endotracheal intubation, and mechanical ventilation. Maintenance with isoflurane is preferred, and nitrous oxide should be avoided. Close monitoring of the cardiovascular and pulmonary systems is essential. Recovery from anesthesia should include oxygen supplementation, pleural drainage, and local analgesia if required.