[General anesthesia for cesarean section in a patient with Marfan's syndrome associated with dissecting aortic aneurysm].

A 23-year-old woman with Marfan's syndrome was scheduled for Cesarean section at 31 week gestation because of progressive aortic dissection. Since she had undergone two surgical corrections for scoliosis (Harrington rod instrumentation) 5 and 12 years ago, we selected general anesthesia. She had been taking diltiazem and propranolol for hypertension and tachycardia. Anesthesia was induced with thiopental 75 mg iv followed by O2-N2O-enflurane (4%) by face mask. Following iv administration of vecuronium 4 mg and tracheal injection of 4% lidocaine 120 mg, the trachea was intubated without a significant hemodynamic change. Anesthesia was maintained with O2-N2O-enflurane (0.5-1.5%) before delivery. Following delivery, enflurane was discontinued and small doses of fentanyl iv (total 0.2 mg) were given with iv infusion of nitroglycerin (0.2-0.5 micrograms.kg-1.min-1) during surgery. Bleeding after delivery was controllable by iv infusion of oxytocin. The Apgar score was good (9 at 1 min and 10 at 5 min respectively). Post-operative course was uneventful. Therapeutic abortion or Cesarean section should be performed as soon as possible in a patient with dissecting aortic aneurysm because of increasing risk of aneurysm rupture during pregnancy. During the surgery, minimal hemodynamic changes are required to prevent the rupture.