Anaesthetic Management for a Dilated Cardiomyopathy Patient, Scheduled for Lumbar Spine Surgery

Abstract

Background: Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is characterized by dilatation and impaired contraction of left or both ventricles. Diagnostic criteria are left ventricular ejection fraction less than 40% or fractional shortening less than 25%. Perioperative anesthetic management of these patients are very challenging for anesthesiologists and intensive care team. Case presentation: A 55-year-old female, presented with complaints of severe low-back ache with bilateral lower limb involvement without involvement of bladder and bowel. Severe cord compression at the L4-5 level and severe lumbar canal stenosis were detected by magnetic resonance imaging. Echocardiography showed that the left ventricle (LV) had global hypokinesia, with an ejection fraction of 25% to 30%. The planed surgical procedures were L4 lumbar laminectomy and L4-5 microdiscectomy. Conclusion: Continuous monitoring and control of hemodynamic parameters as well as central venous pressure guided fluid therapy is the cornerstone in improving outcome in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy for non-cardiac surgery.