Anesthesia for thoracic surgery james b eisenkraft edmond cohen steven m neustein key points it is important to determine prior to the onset of anesthesia and surgery whether the patient will be able to tolerate the planned lung resection preoperative assessment of vital capacity is critical because at least three times the tidal volume vt. During thoracic surgery several factors act to further increase mismatch general anesthesia neuromuscular blockade and mechanical ventilation may cause a decrease in functional residual capacity of both lungs compression of the dependent lung in the lateral decubitus position may cause atelectasis. This book reviews and describes the best practices of anesthesia in thoracic surgery according to evidence based medicine it covers preoperative assessment applied pharmacology airway management and ventilation methods the analgesic methods in this surgical specialty are also discussed. Anesthetic considerations exclusive to their patients 2 considerations for one lung ventilation olv thoracic surgery poses unique challenges to the anesthesiologist including surgery in the lateral decubitus position an open thorax manipulation of thoracic organs potential for major