[A case of anaphylactic shock induced by latex during cesarean section]

We report a 39-year-old woman who showed intraoperative anaphylactic shock during elective cesarean section in the 38th week of pregnancy. She underwent cesarean sections under general anesthesia at 33 years of age, and under spinal anesthesia at 37 years without any complication; other past history was unremarkable. Spinal anesthesia was performed with 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine 2.5 ml and analgesia level up to T2 was obtained 12 minutes later. The operation was uneventful at the birth of a neonate weighing 2700 g delivered with Apgar scores of 8 and 9 at 1 and 5 minutes, respectively. Drip infusion of oxytocin was started after the delivery and uterine contraction was good. Five minutes later, blood pressure decreased abruptly to 70/40 mmHg, heart rate increased to 130 beats min(-1) and the patient complained of chest discomfort. Bolus injections of ephedrine and phenylephrine were ineffective, and continuous infusion of adrenaline was started to maintain blood pressure. The operation was finished and the patient was intubated for artificial ventilation to prevent airway obstruction. The tracheal tube was removed the following day and the postoperative course was uneventful thereafter. Plasma tryptase levels at 1 and 6 hours after the episode of hypotension were 9.0 and 1.3 ng x ml(-1). Postoperative blood tests revealed an increase in latex-specific immunoglobulin E, suggesting that anaphylactic shock was induced by latex.