Pneumothorax during retroperitoneoscopic nephrectomy: A case report

Abstract

A 54-year-old female patient was scheduled for retroperitoneoscopic nephrectomy. Anesthesia was induced with propofol and maintained with nitrous oxide/sevoflurane and epidural anesthesia. One hour after the start of the surgery, arterial oxygen saturation suddenly decreased from 99% to 94%. Because her oxygenation gradually improved and hemodynamics was stable, the operation was continued. After the end of the surgery, left pneumothorax was found on a chest X ray. The patient was extubated following thoracocentesis that had improved her pneumothorax and oxygenation. There is no report of pneumothorax in retroperitoneoscopic nephrectomy, as far as we know, although several cases have been reported in laparoscopic nephrectomy. We must be careful of pneumothorax in both laparoscopic and retroperitoneoscopic nephrectomy.