McCarroll C P, Paxton L D, Elliott P, Wilson D B
Department of Clinical Anaesthesia, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, UK.
Br J Anaesth. 2001 Jan;86(1):135-8. doi: 10.1093/bja/86.1.135.
We describe a case of a 26 yr old primigravida at 39 weeks' gestation, with a diagnosis of peripartum cardiomyopathy, requiring urgent Caesarean section. The patient presented in severe heart failure and active labour. A general anaesthetic, using a target-controlled infusion of propofol and an intravenous infusion of remifentanil, was used to provide stable anaesthesia and analgesia for a successful delivery. The unusual diagnosis of peripartum cardiomyopathy and the potential benefits of the use of remifentanil in high-risk obstetric surgery are discussed.