Case Report: Improved Oxygenation after One Lung Ventilation in Severe Cardiomegaly due to Cor Pulmonale; analysis with Heart-Lung Interaction Approach

<ns7:p> Introduction One-lung ventilation (OLV) is used to isolate one lung during thoracic surgery, but manipulation and positioning can affect heart-lung interaction. Cardiomegaly may exacerbate these changes, especially in the left lateral decubitus (LLD) position. Objectives To investigate the effect of cardiomegaly on heart-lung interaction during OLV, particularly in the LLD position. Case presentation A 20-year-old male with recurrent spontaneous pneumothorax was scheduled for right-sided <ns7:italic>bronchopleural</ns7:italic> fistula repair via thoracotomy. The patient presented with cardiomegaly (cardiothoracic ratio 75%) and echocardiographic evidence of right ventricular and atrial dilation. In the LLD position, OLV led to desaturation when both lungs were ventilated, but oxygenation improved when only the left lung was ventilated. Results Cardiomegaly alters heart-lung interaction during OLV, particularly in the LLD position. The enlarged heart exerts pressure on the left lung, impairing ventilation. When both lungs are ventilated in this position, ventilation is directed toward the right lung, reducing oxygenation and causing desaturation. However, restricting ventilation to the left lung improved oxygenation due to better lung compliance and less interference from the enlarged heart. Conclusions Cardiomegaly affects heart-lung interaction during OLV in the LLD position. Oxygenation improves when only the left lung is ventilated, likely due to less compression of the left lung. The supine position may further enhance oxygenation even with bilateral ventilation. This case highlights the importance of considering cardiomegaly in OLV management. This section should be written as per the CARE checklist item 3. </ns7:p>