Abstract: Objective To compare the effects of propofol and sevoflurane on inflammatory factors and pulmonary function in patients undergoing thoracic surgery with one lung ventilation,and to provide a reference for the choice of clinical anesthesia. Methods Total 264 patients with thoracic surgery admitted to our hospital were enrolled, who were divided into group A used propofol in anesthesia (130 cases), group B used sevoflurane (134 cases) according to the random number table rule.All patients underwent One Lung Ventilation (OLV) during general anesthesia.Interleukin-1 (IL-1), nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) DNA binding activity,alveolar-arterial oxygen partial pressure difference (P_A-aO₂),respiratory index (RI), and oxygenation index (OI) were measured at 5 min before induction (T0), immediately after OLV (T1), 45 min after OLV (T2), 90 min after OLV (T3), and after surgery (T4). Results At the time of T2, T3 and T4, the IL-1 and NF-κB DNA binding activities of the two groups were higher than those of T0 and T1 (all P<0.05), and the IL-1 and NF-κB DNA binding activities in group A at T2, T3 and T4 were lower than those in group B (all P<0.05). At the time of T2, T3 and T4, both P_A-aO₂ and RI of the two groups were higher than those of T0 and T1 (all P<0.05), and P_A-aO₂ and RI of group A at T2, T3 and T4 were higher than those of group B (all P<0.05). At the time of T2, T3 and T4, the OI of the two groups decreased compared with T0 and T1 (all P<0.05), and the OI of group A at T2, T3 and T4 was higher than thoseof group B (all P<0.05). Conclusion For patients undergoing thoracic surgery with one lung ventilation, the use of propofol in anesthesia has less inflammatory response induced by lung injury,and has less effect on lung function.