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Substantial efforts have been undertaken to identify and minimise factors responsible for the development of ventilator-induced lung injury. A novel approach to this problem addresses energy dissipated in lung tissue during the breathing cycle as one of the key problems. Flow-controlled ventilation is a new modality of mechanical ventilation based on a constant flow during both inspiration and expiration. This review aims to evaluate the current evidence available regarding flow-controlled ventilation. Lastly, three cases of flow-controlled ventilation application are presented: ventilation with a small lumen tube during tracheal resection, one-lung ventilation during thoracoscopic lobectomy, and ventilation of a critically ill patient with acute respiratory distress syndrome in an intensive care unit setting.

Recent years have witnessed multiple advancements in the field of information technology in medicine. The need to ensure patient and doctor safety during COVID-19 resulted in improved telemedicine adaptation across various fields, including anaesthesiology. In this review, the authors examine the current state of the elements of preanesthetic evaluation and their remote execution using current and future telemedical facilities and technologies, as well as the potential of future advancements in this field.

Breast surgeries belong to the most frequently performed procedures and are often associated with a high intensity of pain in the postoperative period. Regional anesthesia techniques, and paravertebral block, have been the gold standard of postoperative pain management for major breast cancer surgeries. In recent years, the development of new techniques of regional anesthesiology, which is due to the extensive implementation of ultrasound imaging, has enabled the use of a number of new blockades. The “new players” in regional anesthesiology include numerous fascial plane blocks. Fascial plane blocks are often technically easier and less invasive compared to, for example, paravertebral blockade. The core mechanism of action in fascial blocks consists in blocking the nerve structures that supply a certain area of the trunk after deposition of local anesthetic (LA) within the fascial and fasciomuscular compartments. In addition to direct nerve blockade, there are other potential mechanisms of analgesia such as systemic effects. This idea differs from the traditional concept of nerve and plexus blocks, but it should be remembered that the final effect of a fascial plane block and its extent can be extremely variable across individual cases. According to the current state of knowledge, an alternative to paravertebral blockade may be PECS blockade. The available options also include erector spinae plane block (ESPB) and serratus plane block (SPB), however their recommendation in breast surgery requires more extensive scientific evidence.