Pulmonary hypertension in pregnancy: two cases and review of the literature

Middle range theory for the nursing diagnosis Excess Fluid Volume in pregnant women

OBJECTIVE

To stablish a middle range theory for the understanding of the causal mechanisms and clinical consequentes of the nursing diagnosis Excess Fluid Volume (00026) among pregnant women.

METHOD

The Middle Range Theory was constructed in five stages: defining of construction approach, establishing main concepts, elaborating propositions, developing a pictorial diagram, and establishing the causal relationships and evidence for practice of the Middle Range Theory.

RESULTS

We identified 14 clinical indicators and 6 causal factors of Excess Fluid Volume. A pictorial diagram was developed and relationships between Excess Fluid Volume elements were established with 6 propositions for them.

CONCLUSION

The Middle Range Theory included both physiological and pathological conditions to explain Excess Fluid Volume. This Middle Range Theory might help in the better understanding of interactions between causal factors and clinical indicators of Excess Fluid Volume.

Sudden onset of severe pulmonary edema after emergency cesarean section

Mitral valve stenosis (MS) associated with rheumatic disease no longer represents a major heart problem during the perinatal period in Japan. Here we present a case of acute heart failure due to MS after emergency cesarean section (CS). The patient was transferred due to the development of fetal distress at 36 weeks gestation and underwent an emergency CS under general anesthesia. She developed acute heart failure immediately postoperatively and was diagnosed with MS associated with pulmonary artery hypertension for the first time. She underwent percutaneous transvenous mitral commissurotomy and was discharged from our hospital in good condition.

Acute respiratory failure and mechanical ventilation in pregnant patient: A narrative review of literature

Physiological changes of pregnancy imposes higher risk of acute respiratory failure (ARF) with even a slight insult and remains an important cause of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Although pregnant women have different respiratory physiology and different causes of ARF, guidelines specific to ventilatory settings, goals of oxygenation and weaning process could not be framed due to lack of large-scale randomized controlled trials. During the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, pregnant women had higher morbidity and mortality compared to nonpregnant women. During this period, alternative strategies of ventilation such as high-frequency oscillatory ventilation, inhalational of nitric oxide, prone positioning, and extra corporeal membrane oxygenation were increasingly used as a desperate measure to rescue pregnant patients with severe hypoxemia who were not improving with conventional mechanical ventilation. This article highlights the causes of ARF and recent advances in invasive, noninvasive and alternative strategies of ventilation used during pregnancy.

Anaesthetic management for caesarean section surgery in two pregnant women with severe pulmonary hypertension due to mitral valve stenosis

BACKGROUND

Mitral stenosis is the most important and common cardiac complication seen during pregnancy. Conception is discouraged in cases where pulmonary hypertension develops during the course of mitral stenosis. Successful general and regional anaesthetic interventions have been reported in some cases of severe pulmonary hypertension.

CASE REPORTS

We present our experiences with anaesthetic management in two pregnant patients with pulmonary hypertension due to mitral valve stenosis.

CONCLUSION

We preferred to continue spinal anaesthesia because gradually increasing the local anaesthetic dose during the procedure may minimise probable undesirable haemodynamic changes, such as hypotension and tachycardia.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension in the setting of pregnancy: a case series and standard treatment approach

Pregnancy in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is associated with a maternal mortality of 30-50% despite modern treatment modalities. The majority of maternal deaths in PAH patients occur either during labor and delivery or within 1 month postpartum. Cardiovascular collapse is attributed to a mismatch between the physiologic limitations of PAH and the changes that occur with pregnancy and delivery. In the Unites States, there is no consensus on the management of PAH in pregnancy. Several case reports have been published describing improved maternal-fetal outcomes, likely due to new advanced PH therapies, earlier diagnosis of PAH, and an adoption of a multidisciplinary treatment approach. We present five cases of gravid PAH patients successfully managed at our institution with a description of our standardized multidisciplinary treatment approach.

Severe pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular failure complicate a total abdominal hysterectomy

OBJECTIVE

The 2007 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines report that no significant studies have been conducted assessing the perioperative risk of pulmonary hypertension in noncardiac surgery. However, the presence of right ventricular failure has been well documented to have poor prognostic implications. The presence of pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular failure present unique perioperative challenges. These include maintenance of adequate cardiac function, acid-base management, intraoperative monitoring, and postoperative pain management.

CASE REPORT

The authors report the case of a patient with severe pulmonary hypertension who underwent an open total abdominal hysterectomy. The case was complicated by known right ventricular failure, severe portal hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, extensive smoking history, and systemic anticoagulation therapy. The patient was not a candidate for postoperative neuraxial analgesia because of the timing and dose of systemic anticoagulation. Two-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography was used for real-time visualization and intraoperative cardiac monitoring. The patient was transferred to the intensive care unit for careful titration of opioids and slow ventilator wean to extubation. The postoperative course proceeded without significant morbidity or mortality.

CLINICAL CHALLENGES

(a) Preoperative assessment of pulmonary hypertension, (b) postoperative pain control, (c) cardiovascular stability, and (d) intraoperative monitoring.

CONCLUSIONS

This case illustrates the unique challenges associated with pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular failure in the setting of noncardiac surgery. This case also demonstrates that continuous, real-time data provided by transesophageal echocardiography can be used to successfully manage a complicated patient with pulmonary hypertension.

Vascular Complications of Systemic Sclerosis during Pregnancy

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic autoimmune disorder characterized by progressive fibrosis of the skin and visceral tissues as well as a noninflammatory vasculopathy. Vascular disease in systemic sclerosis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality among nonpregnant patients with SSc and is even a bigger concern in the pregnant SSc patient, as the underlying vasculopathy may prevent the required hemodynamic changes necessary to support a growing pregnancy. Vascular manifestations including scleroderma renal crisis and pulmonary arterial hypertension should be considered relative contraindications against pregnancy due to the high associations of both maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. In contrast, Raynaud's phenomenon may actually improve somewhat during pregnancy. Women with SSc who are considering a pregnancy or discover they are pregnant require evaluation for the presence and extent of underlying vasculopathy. In the absence of significant visceral vasculopathy, most women with SSc can expect to have reasonable pregnancy outcomes.