von Willebrand disease, pregnancy and neuraxial anesthesia: a multi-disciplinary approach for successful regional...

Fearing the devastating neurological complications in a parturient with the von Willebrand disease secondary to paucity of studies defining the guidelines to assess the risk of bleeding complications, anesthesiologists are often reluctant to administer neuroaxial anesthesia. We present a case report of a parturient with type I von Willebrand disease who presented for induction of labor at 39 weeks of gestation. After consultation with the hematologist well ahead of the conception, appropriate laboratory workup including clotting factor levels including FVIII, vWF:RcoF, vWF:Ag on different occasions peripartum, and provision of adequate prophylactic medical treatment, she underwent Cesarean section under epidural anesthesia without neurological or bleeding complications. von Willebrand disease is the most common inherited bleeding disorder that may result in various bleeding complications in a parturient as a result of hemostatic challenges during pregnancy. Yet the recommendations are based on anecdotal observations of the authors of small case series and surveys. Our case report emphasizes the importance of advanced planning, careful patient assessment, and multi-disciplinary team approach for the successful regional anesthesia as suggested by the guidelines based on clinical experiences.