Oxygenation during chest surgery in the right lateral position in dogs.

IN SURGICAL PROCEDURES necessitating one-sided thoracotomy in the lateral position it is becoming evident that, despite the use of end,tracheal and double lumen tubes, the amount of alveolar arterial (a-A) oxygen difference is very high and the Pao~ of many patients may become dangerously low?,-" Investigations were carried out on a practical level to try to find the cause for this and to devise simple methods of improving oxygenation.