General Anesthesia for Partial Tongue Resection in a Patient With Mixed Connective Tissue Disease: A Case Report

Mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by overlapping features of multiple connective tissue diseases in addition to anti-U1-ribonucleoprotein (RNP) antibodies and Raynaud's phenomenon. A 53-year-old female patient with MCTD, interstitial pneumonia, and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura underwent partial tongue resection under general anesthesia. Perioperative management included steroid coverage and careful titration of the oxygen concentration. Although venous access was difficult, the anesthetic course was uneventful. MCTD can present perioperative challenges including pulmonary and cardiac complications, effects of long-term steroid use, and airway and cardiovascular disturbances. Safe anesthesia for patients with MCTD requires assessment of disease activity and severity across multiple conditions and individualized management accordingly.