Williams?Beuren Syndrome with Pseudoaneurysm of Aortic Arch and Infective Vegetations for Modified Broms Procedure: Anesthetic Concerns & Echocardiographic Illustrations

Williams?Beuren syndrome is a rare genetic malformation with predilection for supravalvular aortic stenosis. Apart from cardiovascular malformation, hypocalcemia, developmental delay, and elfin facies, challenging airway make perioperative management more eventful. Association of infective endocarditis within the aortic arch and pseudoaneurysm formation is infrequent. We, hereby report a case of pseudoaneurysm formation and infective vegetation within the aortic arch in a patient with Williams syndrome and the role of transthoracic echocardiography in its perioperative management.

Is Menstruation a Valid Reason to Postpone Cardiac Surgery?

Background:Cancellation of any scheduled surgery is a significant drain on health resources and potentially stressful for patients. It is frequent in menstruating women who are scheduled to undergo open heart surgery (OHS), based on the widespread belief that it increases surgical and menstrual blood loss. Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate blood loss in women undergoing OHS during menstruation. Settings and Design: A prospective,matched case?control study which included sixty women of reproductive age group undergoing OHS. Patients and Methods: The surgical blood loss was compared between women who weremenstruating (group?M;n = 25) and their matched controls, i.e., women who were not menstruating (group?NM; n = 25) at the time of OHS. Of the women in group M, the menstrual blood loss during preoperative (subgroup?P) and perioperative period (subgroup?PO) was compared to determine the effect of OHS onmenstrual blood loss. Results: The surgical blood loss was comparable among women in both groups irrespective of ongoing menstruation (gr?M = 245.6 ± 120.1 ml vs gr?NM = 243.6 ± 129.9 ml, P value = 0.83). The menstrual blood loss was comparable between preoperative and perioperative period in terms of total menstrual blood loss (gr?P = 36.8 ± 4.8 ml vs gr?PO = 37.7 ± 5.0 ml, P value = 0.08) and duration of menstruation (gr?P = 4.2 ± 0.6 days vs gr?PO = 4.4 ± 0.6 days, P value = 0.10). Conclusion: Neither the surgical blood loss nor the menstrual blood loss is increased in women undergoing OHS during menstruation.

Unforeseen Rupture of Pseudoaneurysm of Common Carotid Artery: An Arduous Anesthetic Challenge

Pseudoaneurysm of the common carotid artery (CCA) is exceptionally unstable and unpredictable; it mandates quick medical attention in order to circumvent neurologic sequelae or hemorrhage. Unanticipated rupture is extremely lethal and a potential provocation for the anesthesia caregiver. It is an arduous challenge for an anesthetist to establish emergency airway when a huge bleeding pseudoaneurysm is compressing and deviating the trachea, securing invasive lines in collapsing vessels, volume and vasopressor resuscitation in deteriorating hemodynamics in order to maintain cerebral perfusion without compromising other vital organs, arranging huge amount of blood and blood products in a short span of time, and transferring an exsanguinating patient for the rapid institution of cardiopulmonary bypass. Not only preoperatively it also necessitates appropriate neuromonitoring and neuroprotection during and after surgery. The association of unforeseen rupture of common carotid artery pseudoaneurysm secondary to the tubercular spine and lifesaving management by the rapid institution of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is a rare occasion. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, there is not any similar case in the peer?reviewed literature. Therefore, the authors enumerate the clinical experience of an unexpected rupture of CCA pseudoaneurysm requiring lifesaving CPB and emphasize the “Timely Teamed Effort Approach” that can sustain a life in such an inevitable situation.