Awake fibreoptic intubation, airway compression and lung collapse in a parturient: anaesthetic and intensive care management

Perioperative management of the pregnant patient with an anterior mediastinal mass

This article describes the perioperative risks of pregnant patients with anterior mediastinal masses, and demonstrates the importance of a multidisciplinary approach for the management of high-risk patients. Mediastinal mass syndrome is defined as immediate right heart failure secondary to vascular compression when positive pressure ventilation is initiated. Greater emphasis on the potential for cardiovascular collapse (versus respiratory collapse) challenges the conventional teaching of risks associated with mediastinal masses in the adult population.