Anesthesia for interventional pulmonology

Purpose of review: Anesthesia for pulmonological interventions is a demanding challenge. This article discusses recent innovations and the implications for periinterventional anesthetic management.

Recent findings: Interventional pulmonology is a rapidly expanding specialty with very complex diagnostic and therapeutic approaches that include oncological staging, treatment of obstructive and restrictive lung diseases, recanalization of endobronchial obstructions, and retrieval of foreign bodies. With the development of advanced diagnostic and therapeutic interventions, the application is extended to critically ill patients. Current evidence focusing on the anesthetic techniques is presented here.

Summary: The development of new pulmonological methods requires a tailored anesthesiological approach. Their specific impact must be taken into account to ensure patient safety, goal-oriented outcome diagnostics and -quality, successful interventions, and patient comfort.