Publication:

General anesthesia for cesarean section in the presence of mitral stenosis associated with severe pulmonary hypertension

Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is the most common cause of cardiac disease during pregnancy in India. A case of severe pulmonary hypertension (pulmonary arterial pressure- 98 mm Hg) secondary to mitral stenosis associated with RHD in a 28-year old woman, is described. She underwent a high risk elective cesarean section under general anesthesia at 36 weeks of gestation. The intraoperative and postoperative course was uneventful. The advantages of general anesthesia over neuraxial blockade during cesarean section are discussed in this report. The management of patients at a high risk of developing pulmonary edema and decompensated heart failure in the perioperative period has been stressed upon. A thorough understanding of the pathophysiology and complications of RHD during pregnancy and cesarean section is required for managing the disease successfully.