BRONCHIAL BLOCKER

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Bronchial blockers are inflatable devices that are passes through a single lumen tube to selectively occlude a bronchial orifice. First used by Sir Ivan Magill.

CHARACTERISTICS:-

Balloon shaped to stabilize it in bronchus.
Low pressure and high volume balloon preferred.
Flexible and easy to manipulate into main stem /lobar branches
Balloon to have channel for deflation and suction distal to it
Be adaptable to use standard ETT.
Wide variety of sizes available.

TYPES:-

UNIVENT
ARNDNT
COHENS FLEXITIP
FUJI UNIBLOCKER
E- Z BLOCKER

A 29-year-old female came with compliant of cough with expectoration on and off for past 2 years.. It is gradual in onset, sputum is whitish in colour, not blood tinged..

Associated with fever on & off. H/o weight loss +around 6 kg. No other significant history..

No known comorbidites

Ct chest showed – left lower intralobar sequestration with infective pathology
Preoperative routine investigations were done. All are within normal limits…

Spirometry showed FEV1/FVC = 70 %.. Mild obstruction present

Abg @ Room air done. Pao2 = 88 mm hg, pc02 = 31 mm hg

Airway examination :

Mouth opening > 3 finger breath
Mallampatti grade 2
Normal neck movements

After preoperatively optimised, patient was posted for ROBOTIC LEFT LOWER LOBE LOBECTOMY

For this case, we are used EZ blocker for one lung ventilation.

EZ BLOCKER :

It is an independent bronchial blocker with a y shaped bifurcation made up of polyurethane.
Available in 7 Fr size and is 75 cm long.
It is manufactured with a Y shaped distal end
Both limbs of the distal end are fitted with : An inflatable balloon & central channel to allow suction.
Each limb is colour coded. (Yellow /Blue ). This allow easy identification with the matching balloon.