Transient Oxygen Desaturation during Removal of a Huge Ovarian Tumor under Intubated General Anesthesia: A Case Report

Obstetric and gynecologic patients with huge abdominal or pelvic lesions often present a challenging perioperative episode to the surgeon and to the anesthesiologist. Here we report an overweight female of short stature suffering from a huge pelvic tumor requiring complete resection. During the operation, she experienced a transient decrease in blood oxygen saturation resulting from an endotracheal tube migration into the right lung, possibly due to external compression from the tumor because it was retracted and positioned against the right hemidiaphragm pushing the internal thoracic structures toward the head. The slightly head-down effect of the Trendelenburg position must also be taken into consideration. After optimal treatment, the situation was remedied, and the oxygen saturation returned to normal.