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Abstract One lung ventilation (OLV) is required for several thoracic operations; adequate arterial oxygenation is not achieved in some patients despite an accurately placed endobronchial tube, due to, in part, to inhibition of hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV). HPV is an important mechanism by which blood is diverted from the hypoxic region of the lung to a better ventilated region, thereby reducing the venous admixture and minimizing the decrease in arterial oxygenation. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of thoracic epidural anesthesia on intrapulmonary shunt fraction and oxygenation by comparing total intravenous anesthesia alone and total intravenous anesthesia combined with thoracic epidural in patients requiring one lung ventilation for thoracic surgery. |