One-lung ventilation using a laryngeal mask airway and bronchial blocker in a patient with vocal cord cancer: a case report

BACKGROUND: One-lung ventilation is a standard technique for thoracic anesthesia. Usually, one-lung ventilation requires a large-bore tracheal tube. Therefore, in patients with vocal cord morbidity, it is challenging to achieve one-lung ventilation while preventing the damage of vocal cord lesions. CASE PRESENTATION: A 77-year-old man was diagnosed with vocal cord cancer and lung tumor. One-lung ventilation with a combination of a laryngeal mask airway and bronchial blocker was planned to avoid unexpected vocal cord injury. After securing the airway with a laryngeal mask airway, a bronchial blocker was placed under fiberscope guidance. The bronchial blocker passed through a position far enough from the vocal cord lesion. The bronchial blocker provided a clear view of the operative field. The patient’s perioperative course was uneventful. CONCLUSIONS: When one-lung ventilation is required for patients with vocal cord lesions, a combination of a laryngeal mask airway and bronchial blocker is considered a good option.