Anesthetic Management of Parturients With Achondroplasia During Labor and Delivery: A Narrative Review

Achondroplasia accounts for approximately 70% of all forms of dwarfism. Cesarean delivery is often required in parturients with achondroplasia due to cephalopelvic disproportion. There is no consensus on the optimal management for cesarean delivery considering the difficulties in both general and regional anesthesia in patients with achondroplasia. The aim of this study was to explore the literature for prior case reports and series to determine the optimum anesthetic management for cesarean delivery in achondroplastic patients. We conducted a review of the literature using Embase, Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science database searches for case series and case reports on achondroplasia and pregnancy through January 2024. Conference abstracts >3 years old were excluded, as well as data on forms of dwarfism other than achondroplasia, patients taller than 147 cm, and non-English language papers. Extracted data included demographic information, anesthetic management, and reported complications. The literature review resulted in 57 manuscripts with a total of 80 anesthetics. Anesthetic management consisted of planned general anesthesia (n = 16), single injection spinal (n = 28), epidural (n = 17), combined spinal-epidural (n = 12), and intrathecal catheter (n = 1). Six patients required conversion from neuraxial anesthesia to general anesthesia due to failed neuraxial placement (n = 3), inadequate blockade (n = 2), and high neuraxial block (n = 1). Reduced dose of intrathecal bupivacaine was common in this population. Complications such as hypotension (4 in 64), inadvertent dural puncture (1 in 64), and transient paresthesia (3 in 64) during neuraxial technique were reported but were infrequent. Neuraxial anesthesia is more common and a viable option in carefully selected parturients with achondroplasia. We recommend reduction of intrathecal local anesthetic as part of a titratable neuraxial technique (ie, combined spinal-epidural) that minimizes the risk of hypotension, high spinal, and emergent intubation.