Pulmonary collapse during anaesthesia in children with respiratory tract symptoms.

A frequent dilemma facing the anaesthetist is the child with respiratory tract symptoms. The risks of anaesthesia and surgery in these patients have not been clearly established. We present three cases which illustrate a potentially serious complication which may arise. Our patients each had symptoms of cough, but were systemically healthy. Two of the children had absent clinical signs, whilst the third had a normal chest X ray. However, during surgery and anaesthesia each child developed significant pulmonary collapse, associated with desaturation on oximetry.