Two cases of diaphragmatic surgery in children under artificial pneumothorax

We reported two cases of thoracoscopic diaphragm repair in children. The first case was a 6-day old neonate undergoing thoracoscopic repair of congenital diaphragmatic hernia under general anesthesia. During operation, CO2 was insufflated with a pressure of 4 cmH2O into the thoracic cavity. Although end-tidal CO2 increased to 90 mmHg, Sp(O2) and blood pressure were maintained within normal ranges. The second case was a 20-month-old infant undergoing thoracoscopic repair of diaphragmatic laxity. During operation, end-tidal CO2 increased to around 50 mmHg. Sp(O2) and blood pressure were normal. But during the procedure, insufflation pressure increased up to 10 cmH2O accidentally and arterial blood pressure curve disappeared. Insufflation pressure was corrected quickly and the arterial blood pressure recovered to normal within 10 seconds. The physiological changes of CO2 insufflation in thoracic cavity is similar to tension pneumothorax and we must take care to keep insufflation pressure under 4 cmH2O.