Ambient pressure oxygen reservoir apparatus for use during one-lung anaesthesia

An ambient pressure oxygen reservoir bag apparatus for connecting to the no nventilated lung as soon as single-lung ventilation is initiated is describ ed. The theoretical benefits are the facilitation of collapse of the lung o n the side of surgery and a reduced likelihood of arterial desaturation. Al though these main benefits are yet to be proven, the authors believe that t he weight of theoretical argument and practical observation serves to justi fy the use of the apparatus while the outcome of suitably designed clinical trials is awaited. It can be used for all one-lung anaesthetics and is esp ecially recommended for thoracoscopic surgery, where temporary re-expansion of the nonventilated lung is either counter-productive or contraindicated, and where there is a possibility that lung collapse may be delayed.