[Difficulty in one-lung ventilation reveals tracheobronchial anomaly].

A 57-year-old man with carcinoma of the esophagus was scheduled for a subtotal esophagectomy. We used a bronchial blocker tube to perform one-lung ventilation (OLV). But the OLV was not feasible because of a tracheobronchial anomaly of the right superior lobe bronchus. We replaced the bronchial blocker tube with a standard double lumen tube, and the OLV thus became complete. When we cannot perform a complete OLV with a bronchial blocker tube, we should consider the possibility of a tracheobronchial anomaly. When one is found in the right superior lobe bronchus, we should use a standard double lumen tube to perform the OLV.