Anesthesia & Clinical Research
Open Access

Abstract

High-Level Spinal Block for Upper Abdominal Surgery in an Infant with Cardiomyopathy

Ramón Eizaga Rebollar* and Beatriz Gómez Tapia

Congenital heart disease is one the most common birth defects. Survival improvement in recent decades caused an increasing number of children with congenital heart defects who undergo non-cardiac procedures with a mortality rate of 1% and an incidence of cardiovascular events of 11%. We present the case of a 6-month-old infant, with a history of GM1 gangliosidosis and dilated cardiomyopathy with left ventricular dysfunction, who underwent elective open surgery for a bowel biopsy and a gastrostomy. After preoperative risk stratification, general anesthesia was discarded in favor of a high-level spinal block under sedation. The procedure went uneventful and the baby maintained cardiovascular stability during the entire perioperative period. Spinal anesthesia may be a safe and effective option in infants with high-risk congenital heart defects. Proper local anesthetic selection and accurate dose calculation allow to perform upper abdominal procedures lasting up to 90 min.

Published Date: 2022-07-05; Received Date: 2022-06-03