Recurrent intraoperative lobar collapse.

We present a case report of an asymptomatic 12-year-old girl who was incidentally noted to have a collapsed upper lobe of her right lung during anaesthesia for angiography. After initial success at reexpansion using manual ventilation and suctioning, the lobe collapsed again some 15 min later. Physiological parameters remained stable throughout. Consent was obtained for fibreoptic bronchoscopy which was performed uneventfully and resulted in reexpansion of the lobe. We discuss the difficulty in identifying patients at risk of this complication, the need for therapeutic intervention and the issue of consent.