Anesthesia management for thoracoscopic resection of a huge intrathoracic meningocele: a case report.

BACKGROUND

Diagnosed intrathoracic meningocele is an uncommon complication of neurofibromatosis type 1. We report an anesthesia management for a rare case undergoing thoracoscopic resection of a huge intrathoracic meningocele.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 51-year-old woman was scheduled for thoracoscopic meningectomy under general anesthesia. We monitored intrathecal pressure during anesthesia to prevent a decrease in intrathecal pressure. During surgery, the intrathecal pressure occasionally increased by around 5 cmHO immediately after the insertion of the drainage tube and occasionally decreased by up to 10 cmHO during the careful slow aspiration of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The pressure rapidly recovered after the interruption of the procedures. She was discharged on postoperative day 4 without major complications.

CONCLUSIONS

The CSF pressure was fluctuated by procedures during thoracoscopic resection of a huge meningocele. A CSF pressure monitoring was useful to detect the sudden change of CSF pressure immediately, which can cause intracranial hemorrhage.