Anesthetic Implications of Emergent Cesarean Section in a Parturient with Marfan Syndrome Complicated by Ascending Aortic Aneurysm and Heart Failure

Abstract

Cardiovascular comorbidities to the Marfan syndrome may induce hemodynamic instability especially in the parturients during labor or delivery. For anesthesiologists, it is challenging to maintain hemodynamic stability during Cesarean section in those patients with Marfan syndrome. Remifentanil is an ultra-short-acting opioid with rapid onset and offset of action which provides cardiovascular stability during surgery. Together with remifentanil, the use of a laryngeal mask airway can reduce the risk of hypertensive response followed by tracheal intubation. We describe the successful administration of remifentanil and application of laryngeal mask airway for emergent Cesarean section performed under general anesthesia in a patient with Marfan syndrome complicated by ascending aortic aneurysm and heart failure. The use of remifentanil (loading dose of 1 μg/kg for 1 min, 2 min before induction; thereafter continuous infusion dose of 0.1 μg/kg/min) was useful to maintain hemodynamic stability of the parturient throughout the surgery without neonatal respiratory depression.