Aumento del volumen espirado como signo precoz de neumotórax a tensión: Informe de cuatro casos

tension pneumothorax is a fearsome perioperative complication associated with a high morbidity and with a great incidence during the video-laparoscopic procedures due to the use of pneumoperitoneum. objective: to analyze the evolution of four patients presenting with tension pneumothorax as a intraoperative complication of video-laparoscopic procedure with general anesthesia. development: basically the patients programmed for a highly selective anterior vagotomy and posterior truncal vagotomy operation carried out with general anesthesia were monitored. due to the sudden increase of exhaled volume as the first alteration, the diagnosis of tension pneumothorax by passing of intra-abdominal carbon dioxide to the right pleural cavity was made. also, there was a secondary modification of other parameters as arterial tension, oxygen peripheral saturation and carbon dioxide final periodic concentration, allowing us to apply quickly the treatment of this intraoperative and severe complication. conclusions: the increase in the exhaled volume may the early to induce the clinical suspicion of tension pneumothorax favoring its immediate treatment.