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Life‐threatening complications during anaesthesia in a patient with a ventriculo‐atrial shunt and pulmonary hypertension
Author(s) -
BUTLER P. J.,
WHEELER R. A.,
SPARGO P. M.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
anaesthesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.839
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1365-2044
pISSN - 0003-2409
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2044.1990.tb14626.x
Subject(s) - medicine , pulmonary hypertension , shunt (medical) , hydrocephalus , anesthesia , surgery , cardiology
Summary A 6‐year‐old patient with hydrocephalus who underwent revision of a ventriculo‐atrial shunt is described. Anaesthesia was complicated by the occurrence of systemic hypertension and arterial hypoxaemia. The patient was subsequently found to have pulmonary hypertension secondary to recurrent pulmonary thromboembolism. The pathophysiological mechanisms for the patient's deterioration are discussed and the anaesthetic management of children with pulmonary hypertension is outlined. It is concluded that patients with a ventriculo‐atrial shunt who present for surgery should be screened carefully for the presence of pulmonary hypertension.