Anaesthetic Management of Conjoined Twins′ Separation Surgery

Anaesthesia for conjoined twins, either for separation surgery, or for MRI or other evaluation procedures is an enormous challenge to the paediatric anaesthesiologist. This is an extra challenging surgery because we the anaesthesiologists need to care for two patients at the same time instead of jus...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Kolli S Chalam
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2009-01-01
Series:Indian Journal of Anaesthesia
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.ijaweb.org/article.asp?issn=0019-5049;year=2009;volume=53;issue=3;spage=294;epage=301;aulast=Chalam
Description
Summary:Anaesthesia for conjoined twins, either for separation surgery, or for MRI or other evaluation procedures is an enormous challenge to the paediatric anaesthesiologist. This is an extra challenging surgery because we the anaesthesiologists need to care for two patients at the same time instead of just one. Anaesthesia for conjoined twins ′separation surgery mainly centered on the following concerns: 1.Conjoined Twins′ physiology like crossed circulation. distribution of blood volume and organ sharing with their anaesthetic implications. 2.Long marathon surgery with massive fluid shifts and loss of blood & blood components and their rapid replenishment. 3.Meticulous planning for organized management of long hours of anaesthetic administration in two paediatric subjects simultaneously with multi surgical specialties involvement and their unique requirements.We report the anaesthetic and intensive care management of one pair of Pygopagus separation surgery and also the review of literature and world statistics.
ISSN:0019-5049