Emergency thoracoscopic exploration under nonintubated general anesthesia preserved spontaneous ventilation after bilateral lung transplantation: a rare case report

The dilemma of selecting an anesthesia method for a lung transplant patient requiring sudden emergency thoracoscopic surgery is not well-documented in medical literature, leaving a gap in clinical guidance. We present a case of a 40-year-old, 12 days post lung transplant, facing a thoracoscopic exploration due to suspected intrathoracic hemorrhage. The anesthesiologist had to carefully consider pulmonary function, the risk of airway complications, and anesthesia options. We successfully employed a non-intubation technique, maintaining spontaneous breathing for general anesthesia, which led to significant postoperative improvements and a rapid recovery. our experience indicates that non-intubated general anesthesia, preserving spontaneous breathing, is a viable and safe method for thoracoscopic surgery in the early post-transplant period, offering a promising alternative to traditional approaches.