Postoperative acute respiratory failure caused by adult-onset Pompe disease

Anaesthetic implications for Pompe disease. A case description

Pompe disease, or type II glycogenosis, is a rare metabolic myopathy inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern, characterized by progressive muscle weakness and multisystem involvement. The disease often results in premature death. Patients with Pompe disease are at high risk for anaesthesia-related complications, particularly cardiac and respiratory problems, although difficult airway management is the greatest complication. It is essential to perform a comprehensive preoperative study in order to reduce the risk of perioperative morbidity and mortality, and to obtain as much information as possible for the surgical procedure. In this article, we report the case of a patient with a history of adult Pompe disease who underwent combined anaesthesia for osteosynthesis of the proximal end of the left humerus.