Anesthesia for ex utero intrapartum treatment: renewed insight on a rare procedure

The ex utero intrapartum treatment is a rare surgical procedure performed in cases of expected postpartum fetal airway obstruction. The technique lies on a safe establishment of a patent airway during labor in anticipation of a critical respiratory event, without interrupting maternal–fetal circulat...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Miguel Vieira Marques, João Carneiro, Marta Adriano, Filipa Lança
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2015-11-01
Series:Brazilian Journal of Anesthesiology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0104001413002534
Description
Summary:The ex utero intrapartum treatment is a rare surgical procedure performed in cases of expected postpartum fetal airway obstruction. The technique lies on a safe establishment of a patent airway during labor in anticipation of a critical respiratory event, without interrupting maternal–fetal circulation. Anesthetic management is substantially different from that regarding standard cesarean delivery and its main goals include uterine relaxation, fetal anesthesia and preservation of placental blood flow. We present the case of an ex utero intrapartum treatment procedure performed on a fetus with a large cervical lymphangioma and prenatal evidence of airway compromise. Modifications to the classic ex utero intrapartum treatment management strategies were successfully adopted and will be discussed in the following report.
ISSN:0104-0014