Soha Talaat
National Heart Institute, Egypt
Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Anesth Clin Res
Background: Raynaudâ??s phenomenon is a disorder of microvasculature affecting fingers and toes as a result of vasoconstriction of digital arteries. It is further divided into primary and secondary Raynaudâ??s phrnomenon. Secondary Raynaudâ??s is often related to connective tissue disorders. The hallmark of Raynaudâ??s phenomenon is ischemia of the digits in response to cold which produces a characteristic triphasic color pattern.If the vasospasm is severe and long lasting, the attack may lead to critical ischemia and gangrene of the digits. Though pathophysiology of Raynaudâ??s phenomenon is not well understood, systemic and local vascular effects are mostly associated with primary Raynaudâ??s disease. Case presentation: We report the case of a 36 year old Kuwaiti female patient with SLE and Raynaudâ??s phenomenon who underwent liposuction under general anesthesia. She went to Germany where she was treated with Imuran 50mg OD. Plaquenil 200mg OD, baby ASA and sildenafil 20mg OD. Her lupus responded well to medication. She is not on steroid and cleared of all medications except Plaquenil 200 mg OD for the past 6 months. All her investigations were normal. She gave history of very short episodes of blanching of the hands that resolved instantaneously. Preoperative preparation included increasing operating room temperature, fluid warmers and warming blankets. Induction of anesthesia was done with Remifentanil 1ug. kg-1, propofol 200mg and rocuronium 50mg. Airway was secured with armored tube size 7.5. Anesthesia maintained with O2/N2O mixture in 2% sevoflurane with low flow and remifentanil infusion 0.012mg.kg-1.hr -1. Operation started and warm irrigation fluid of normal saline 0.9% and adrenaline in the concentration of 1:1,000,000 were infiltrated subcutaneous and liposuction started. After 2 hours the displayed waveform and numerical values of SpO2 disappeared suddenly. We double checked ventilator and patient. Bilateral air entry was auscultation and end-tidal CO2 the same and all hemodynamics were normal.Operation was aborted and patient recovered but still with vasospasm of periphery that resolved later in recovery within 2 hours. Her Rheumatologist was consulted and advised to give nifedipine retard 20mg twice daily. Conclusion: Inspite of taking all precautions and warming patient and fluids patient underwent a prolonged attack of Raynaudâ??s phenomenon. Adrenaline and vasoconstrictors contraindicated in Raynaudâ??s patients and in general they are not eligible candidates for liposuction.
Soha Talaat is an Assistant fellow of anesthesia at National heart institute, Egypt and Anesthesia registrar at Quttainah Medical Center, Kuwait. She is the Professor of anesthesia and pain, in Alexandria University and head of Anesthesia department at Quttainah Medical Center, Kuwait.
E-mail: talaatsoha@gmail.com