Anesthetic management for separation of thoracopagus twins with complex congenital heart disease: a case report.
10.4097/kjae.2015.68.3.295
- Author:
Misook SEO
1
;
In Sun CHUNG
;
Myong Hwan KARM
;
Ji Mi OH
;
Won Jung SHIN
Author Information
1. Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. wjshin@amc.seoul.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Conjoined twins;
Thoracopagus twins
- MeSH:
Heart;
Heart Arrest;
Heart Defects, Congenital*;
Hemodynamics;
Humans;
Liver;
Mortality;
Oximetry;
Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared;
Thorax;
Twins, Conjoined
- From:Korean Journal of Anesthesiology
2015;68(3):295-299
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Although thoracopagus twins joined at the upper chest are the most common type of conjoined twins, the separation surgery in these cases has a higher mortality rate. Here, we describe an anesthetic management approach for the separation of thoracopagus conjoined twins sharing parts of a congenitally defective heart and liver. We emphasize the importance of vigilant intraoperative hemodynamic monitoring for early detection of unexpected events. Specifically, real-time continuous monitoring of cerebral oximetry using near-infrared spectroscopy allowed us to promptly detect cardiac arrest and hemodynamic deterioration.
