Sequential combined spinal-epidural anesthesia for cesarean section in a woman with a double-outlet right ventricle

Pregnancy with Fontan circulation: A report of case series in Japan

Owing to new surgical procedures and medications, more women who have undergone the Fontan procedure reach childbearing ages. We report five cases of pregnancy with Fontan circulation. Case 1 had subchorionic hematoma (SCH), fetal growth restriction (FGR), and preterm labor (PTL). She delivered a 1073 g infant via cesarean section at gestation week 28 because of hemorrhagic shock. Case 2 delivered 2142 g and 2232 g infants at gestation weeks 37 and 36, respectively. She had FGR, PTL, and postpartum hemorrhage (PPH). Case 3 had SCH, PTL, and heart failure. At 36 weeks, labor was induced and she delivered a 2546 g infant by vacuum extraction with epidural analgesia. Cases 4 and 5 resulted in miscarriage. All subjects experienced obstetrical complications. This report discusses pregnant women with Fontan circulation by focusing on affected Japanese women. <Learning objective: More women who have undergone the Fontan procedure reach childbearing ages due to the new surgical procedures and medications. We report five cases and all of them experienced obstetrical complications. Anticoagulation might be one of the causes of postpartum hemorrhage. Labor epidural analgesia could contribute to minimized dynamic circulatory changes during labor. This report can be the literature regarding pregnant women with Fontan circulation in Japan.>.

Anesthetic management for cesarean section in a patient with uncorrected double-outlet right ventricle

Background

We describe the anesthetic management for cesarean section in a pregnant woman with uncorrected double-outlet right ventricle. The anesthetic method, treatment of complications and lessons are discussed.

Case presentation

A 28-year-old woman visited our emergency room for progressive dyspnea and recurrent hemoptysis at 30 weeks’ gestation. Her New York Heart Association functional class was III–IV. Echocardiography indicated that she had congenital heart disease of double-outlet right ventricle. She hadn’t received any treatment. The obstetrician decided to terminate the pregnancy by cesarean section. We chose epidural anesthesia and pumped phenylephrine at the same time to minimize hemodynamic fluctuation. Just in the process of changing position to supine position with uterus displaced to the left, the patient coughed badly and complained about dyspnea. At the same time, the oxygen saturation decreased quickly. The symptoms were ameliorated soon by treating as heart failure. But the symptoms reappeared after oxytocin administration. At the end of surgery, the baby was sent to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for premature birth. The mother recovered successfully and discharged 7 days later.

Discussion and Evaluation

Double-outlet right ventricle is a seldom disease and pregnancy with uncorrected double-outlet right ventricle is rare. In this case, the patient belonged to the type of ventricular septal defect characterized by subaortic ventricular septal defect without pulmonary stenosis. Most of the aorta arises from the right ventricle, the volume of venous blood was injected from the right ventricle into the aorta, which decided the oxygen saturations. Compared to general anesthesia, epidural anesthesia reduces venous return and alleviates the cardiac burden. So, we pumped phenylephrine along with epidural anesthesia in case of critical cyanosis following significant blood pressure decrease. In the process of anesthesia, dyspnea, cough and cyanosis attacked the patient for two times. The most probable reason was heart failure which induced by the sudden increasing of returned blood. As a result of severe cough, pulmonary artery pressure increased rapidly. Then a great amount of venous blood was injected into the aorta and cyanosis became more serious as well as oxygen saturation declined quickly. 

Conclusion

Epidural anesthesia with continuous phenylephrine infusion is a preferable choice for parturient women with uncorrected double-outlet right ventricle for cesarean section. It is not the optimal choice for this type of patients to lie on the left. The dose of oxytocin should be reduced to avoid potential cardiovascular complications.

Epidural volume extension: a review

Epidural volume extension is a technical modification of the combined spinal epidural block. It involves the epidural injection of normal saline or a small volume of local anaesthetic after an intrathecal injection, aiming to augment the post-spinal sensory level. Although the consequent sensory block augmentation has been adequately documented, the probable factors influencing epidural volume extension and its implications for clinical practice are not well defined. This article reviews published literature relating to the probable factors affecting epidural volume extension, its clinical implications, case reports of its successful clinical application and summarises its unexplored effects.

Urgent cesarean delivery and prolonged ventilatory support in a parturient with Fontan circulation and undiagnosed pseudocholinesterase deficiency

A parturient with Fontan circulation required general anesthesia for urgent cesarean delivery and subsequent prolonged postoperative ventilation for newly-diagnosed pseudocholinesterase deficiency. Anesthetic management necessitated a thorough understanding of the hemodynamic principles of the Fontan circulation and physiologic adaptations during surgical delivery and recovery in the intensive care unit.

Regional anaesthesia for a Caesarean section in women with cardiac disease: a prospective study

BACKGROUND

We conducted a prospective observational survey of pregnant women with cardiac disease. The aim was to analyse and present the mode of delivery, outcome, and haemodynamic changes during a caesarean section under regional anaesthesia in women with cardiac disease.

METHODS

All pregnant women with a cardiovascular diagnosis, except hypertension, were included in the registry. Based on the cardiac diagnoses, and on the New York Heart Association classification, a multidisciplinary group made recommendations for each patient and decided on the mode of delivery. The data from continuous, invasive haemodynamic monitoring in intermediate- and high-risk patients under regional anaesthesia for a caesarean section were analysed and presented.

RESULTS

The hospital had approximately 9000 deliveries in the period from November 2003 to April 2008. A total of 113 pregnancies in 107 women were included. Thirty-two (28.3%) pregnancies were classified into the high-risk category. Of 103 deliveries, caesarean sections were performed in 59 (52.2%) cases, with regional anaesthesia in 51 patients (18 emergencies), general anaesthesia in eight patients (five emergencies), and a planned vaginal delivery in 44 patients. There was no mortality among the mothers or the babies during the hospital stay or 6 months postpartum. Pre-operative cardiovascular stability during the caesarean section was maintained by volume and phenylephrine infusion guided by invasive monitoring of haemodynamic variables.

CONCLUSION

Our study suggests that pregnant women with cardiac disease may safely deliver the baby by a caesarean section under regional anaesthesia. According to our findings, haemodynamic stability can be obtained by titrated regional anaesthesia, intravenous (i.v.) volume, phenylephrine infusion, and small repeated doses of i.v. oxytocin guided by invasive monitoring.