ABSTRACT
Dexmedetomidine is an α-2 agonist with a sedative and cardiopulmonary profile that makes it an attractive anesthetic in pediatric cardiac patients. Cardiac transplant patients may suffer from acute cellular rejection of the cardiac conduction system and, therefore, are at an increased risk of the electrophysiological effect of dexmedetomidine. We present such a patient who had a cardiac arrest while receiving dexmedetomidine during cardiac catheterization. Because acute cellular rejection of the cardiac conduction system is difficult to diagnose, dexmedetomidine should be used with caution in pediatric heart transplant patients.
Subject(s)
Adrenergic alpha-2 Receptor Agonists/adverse effects , Cardiac Catheterization , Dexmedetomidine/adverse effects , Heart Arrest/etiology , Heart Transplantation/adverse effects , Hypnotics and Sedatives/adverse effects , Adult , Female , HumansABSTRACT
Plastic bronchitis is potentially a life-threatening complication of long-standing surgically palliated single ventricle congenital heart disease. Patients can present with hypoxia requiring urgent bronchoscopy for removal of bronchial casts. Perioperative care for these patients is challenging and anesthesia is associated with significant cardiac risk. As more surgically corrected single ventricle patients survive to adulthood, these patients are expected to present more frequently. This report details the perioperative management of 2 Fontan patients with hypoxia and significant plastic bronchitis disease burden.
