[Bronchospasm during anesthesia in a patient with Prader-Willi syndrome]

A patient with Prader-Willi syndrome developed bronchospasm during anesthesia. The patient was a 9-year-old boy and was scheduled for orchiopexy. His psychomotor development was delayed, and at 12 months of age he was diagnosed as Prader-Willi syndrome by chromosomal examination. The patient weighed 17 kg, was 111 cm tall, and had no symptom of upper respiratory infection preoperatively. Preoperative examinations were normal except supraventricular extrasystole in electrocardiogram. Following administration of scopolamine 0.15 mg intramuscularly as preanesthetic medication, anesthesia was induced smoothly by slow induction using N2O-O2-sevoflurane. However, right after endotracheal intubation with vecuronium 2 mg, remarkable stridor was noticed. Despite hyperventilation, the patient exhibited hypercapnia, and the diagnosis of bronchospasm was made. Aminophylline and steroid were administered intravenously and halothane was inhaled instead of sevoflurane. The bronchospasm was improved gradually and surgery was finished. Prader-Willi syndrome is an uncommon disease first reported by Prader in 1956 and characterized by hypotonia, hypomentia, hypogonadism and obesity. In the perioperative management for a patient with Prader-Willi syndrome, special attention must be paid to the abnormalities in the upper and lower respiratory systems.