[Intubation and ventilation during thoracic surgery in children].

Single lung ventilation is indicated in many cases for thoracic surgery in children. The indication for single lung ventilation and the airway management should always be discussed thoroughly with the surgeon in order to tailor the effort, complexity and risk of airway management to the needs of the patient. According to the height and age of the child endobronchial intubation, bronchial blockers, the Univent-tube and double lumen tubes can be used. During single lung ventilation infants are particularly predisposed to hypoxemia, because unlike adults in the lateral decubitus position the dependent ventilated lung is prone to alveolar collapse and does not receive a larger part of pulmonary perfusion than the non ventilated lung.