Combined spinal-epidural anesthesia for urgent cesarean section in a parturient with a single ventricle: a case

Stefano Catarci1, Fabio Sbaraglia1, Bruno Antonio Zanfini1

  • 1Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Sacro Cuore Catholic University, Rome, Italy.

The number of women with major congenital heart defects reaching reproductive age is likely increasing. We herein describe the anesthetic management of a 33-year-old woman at 37 gestational weeks with a history of Glenn surgery who was undergoing an urgent cesarean section due to pathological cardiotocography. Combined spinal-epidural anesthesia was the most suitable technique for urgent cesarean section in our patient with a single ventricle and phasic flow in the pulmonary artery because it provided rapid-onset anesthesia with negligible hemodynamic effects.

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