Spinal anesthesia for cesarean section in a patient with myasthenia gravis : A case report

Cho, Ho Yeon; Shin, Yong Sup; Jo, Wan Ho

Case Report

Obstetric Anesthesia

Anesthesia and Pain Medicine 2009;4(1):47-49.
Published online January 30, 2009.

Spinal anesthesia for cesarean section in a patient with myasthenia gravis : A case report

Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Chungnam National University College of Medicne, Daejeon, Korea. ysshin@cnu.ac.kr

Abstract

Myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune disease with antibodies directed against the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, is relatively common in young women and sometimes associated with pregnancy. Because pregnancy can influence myasthenia gravis and the drugs used for its treatment influence gestation, obstetrical management can be complicated. Regional anesthesia during vaginal delivery is the anesthesia treatment of choice, and cesarean delivery should avoid epidural or spinal anesthesia to reduce postoperative problems. We performed spinal anesthesia with bupivacaine in a 38-year-old multipara myasthenic with normal lung function, with specific perioperative complications.

Key Words: autoimmune disease, myasthenia gravis, pregnancy, spinal anesthesia