Selective pulmonary lobe isolation with Arndt pediatric endobronchial blocker for an infant: A case report

INTRODUCTION: Attaining lung isolation in the infant is a challenge for anesthesia care providers. Pulmonary lobe isolation is more challenging. We describe an approach to performing selective pulmonary lobe isolation using the pediatric endobronchial blocker in an infant in the absence of appropriate auxiliary guidance tool. PATIENT CONCERNS: An 8-month-old and 9.5 kg male infant was admitted because of repeated cough with fever for 3 months and a large cyst of his right lung for 2 weeks. He had been living in a pastoral area with his parents. DIAGNOSIS: Based on the chest computed tomography (CT) and his history about long-term residence in the pastoral area, this patient's diagnosis was considered as right middle lobe hydatid cyst. INTERVENTIONS: Guided by a fiberoptic bronchoscope, a cuffed 4.0-mm inside diameter (ID) endotracheal tube was successfully placed into the right main bronchus of this infant. Then, pediatric 5-French (Fr) endobronchial blocker was placed into the right middle and lower lobes through the endotracheal tube without navigation of fiberoptic bronchoscope. OUTCOMES: Lobe isolation was successfully achieved for right middle lobectomy. This approach allows clinicians to perform lobe isolation in the absence of fiberoptic bronchoscope with very small outer diameter. CONCLUSION: This technique is relatively easy to use and less dependent on equipment with small outer diameter in the selective pulmonary lobe isolation in infants and small children.