Because of location, a mediastinal mass may cause complications such as a major airway obstruction, a superior vena caval obstruction, and cardiac compression during general anesthesia. The patient's condition need to be assessed by several methods to predict the risks associated with general anesthesia. The authors took computed tomographs for a preoperative evaluation of two patients with an anterior mediastinal mass, and the risk of perioperative complications was predicted by measuring the tracheal area. The patients were managed according to the preoperative evaluation but severe ventilation impairments were encountered during anesthesia. In one patient, stable ventilation could not be maintained until spontaneous breathing appeared. The operation was cancelled and the patient was brought into the ICU. In the other patient, a tracheal tube was inserted deeper in an attempt to pass the narrowed tracheal portion due to mediastinal tumor compression resulting in improved ventilation
Airway Obstruction ; Anesthesia* ; Anesthesia, General ; Humans ; Respiration ; Ventilation*