Abstract
Modern interventional bronchology covers a wide range of various endotracheal, endobronchial and pleuroscopic procedures. Patients often present with the syndrome of central airway obstruction from external or internal causes.
Anaesthesia for interventional bronchology procedures has its specific features including sharing the airways with the surgeon who is using a rigid bronchoscope, application of jet ventilation and employment of total intravenous anaesthesia using short-acting anaesthetic agents. Selective lung ventilation is required for pleuroscopic procedures.
Bronchologic procedures may be associated with acute life-threatening complications including loss of airway patency in the supraglottic area or trachea, massive bleeding, ignition of the tissue in the airways, pneumothorax and haemothorax.