[Anesthetic Management of Emergency Thrombectomy for a Patient with Undiagnosed Polycythemia Vera]

Here we report successful anesthetic management of emergency thrombectomy for a patient with undiag- nosed polycythemia vera. A 67-year-old man com- plained of numbness of the right lower limb and was diagnosed with acute artery obstruction. Emergency thrombectomy was scheduled. Preoperative blood exam revealed hemoglobin 21.0 g · dl⁻¹ (hematocrit, 63.4%). During central venous catheter placement, we con- firmed high backflow blood viscosity; blood was diluted with plasma substitute. Hemoglobin was main- tained at 14-15 g · dl⁻¹ with continuous administration of plasma substitute. On re-perfusion of the right lower limb, potassium increased to 7.6 mEq · ml⁻¹, which responded to calcium carbonate, GI therapy, and furo- semide. Surgery was uneventful and the patient was diagnosed with polycythemia vera postoperatively. As perioperative management of polycythemia vera is challenging, particularly in undiagnosed and untreated cases, efforts should be made to avoid further throm- bosis and cardiac events.