Anesthetic management of a Kyphoscoliotic parturient with Mitral valve prolapse posted for emergency cesarean section

Abstract

Kyphoscoliosis is a spinal deformity with forward and lateral deviation of the normal spine. It occurs in up to 4% of the population. This condition in pregnancy causes altered growth of gravid uterus and leads to unpredictable delivery. These deformities if extreme can cause obstructed labor which will require cesarean section and are usually associated with physiologic derangements in cardiopulmonary function causing difficulties in conducting both general and regional anaesthesia. One of the causes of kyphoscoliosis can be secondary to cardiothoracic surgery in the childhood. Subarachnoid block in kyphoscoliotic patients is always challenging to an anesthesiologist due to the deformity of spine and spread of anesthetic drug to unpredicted level. We present a known case of post cardiac surgery, mitral valve prolapse with kyphoscoliosis in the thoracolumbar region posted for emergency cesarean section managed under subarachnoid blockade.