A case of refractory intraoperative hypotension treated with vasopressin infusion

A 56-year-old man, treated with an angiotensin II receptor antagonist for hypertension, presented for placement of a cochlear implant during general anesthesia. Intraoperatively, there was profound hypotension that was resistant to decreasing the anesthetic depth, fluid administration, as well as bolus doses of phenylephrine, ephedrine, and epinephrine. Hypotension was eventually successfully treated with a vasopressin infusion (0.06 U/min). Vasopressin may be a useful agent in such scenarios because its effect is not dependent on either adrenergic or angiotensin receptors, both of which may be affected by angiotensin II receptor antagonists.