[Anesthetic management in a patient complicated with left coronary artery-left ventricular fistulae]

Masui. 2003 Mar;52(3):288-90.
[Article in Japanese]

Abstract

We have experienced anesthetic management for posterior lumbar interbody fusion in a 76-year-old female with left coronary artery-left ventricular fistulae. She was admitted to our hospital because of chest pain and was found to have left coronary artery-left ventricular fistulae 6 months before this operation. The electrocardiogram at rest showed T-wave inversions in leads V3-V6. Selective coronary angiography showed the contrast medium streaming into the left ventricle via a maze of fine vessels from the distal left anterior descending coronary artery. Cardiac catheterization revealed left ventricular end-diastolic pressure of 30 mmHg and mean pulmonary capillary wedge pressure of 16 mmHg. Anesthesia was induced with intravenous propofol 60 mmHg, fentanyl 0.1 mg and vecuronium 6 mg, and maintained with 50% nitrous oxide and isoflurane (0.5-1.5%) in oxygen with meticulous intravenous administration of fentanyl. Cardiac function was evaluated with Swan-Ganz catheter during anesthesia. Dopamine and prostaglandin E1 ware continuously infused intravenously to decrease high afterload and maintain cardiac output. The operative and post-operative courses were uneventful. Coronary artery-left ventricular fistulae are extremely rare and can cause myocardial ischemia from coronary steal. A careful management with meticulous anesthetic care is emphasized for patients with coronary artery-left ventricular fistulae.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Anesthesia*
  • Coronary Vessel Anomalies / complications*
  • Female
  • Fistula / complications*
  • Heart Ventricles / abnormalities*
  • Humans
  • Lumbar Vertebrae / surgery
  • Perioperative Care*
  • Spinal Fusion
  • Spinal Stenosis / complications
  • Spinal Stenosis / surgery
  • Vascular Fistula / complications*