Cardiac arrest due to coronary spasms in a patient in a lateral decubitus position and contralateral thoracotomy state during Ivor Lewis esophagogastrectomy: A case report

Park, Dong Ho; Kim, Jae Jung; Oh, Chung Sik; Sung, Tae Yun; Cho, Choon Kyu; Kwon, Hee Uk; Kang, Po Soon

Case Report

Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia

Anesthesia and Pain Medicine 2013;8(4):249-253.
Published online October 30, 2013.

Cardiac arrest due to coronary spasms in a patient in a lateral decubitus position and contralateral thoracotomy state during Ivor Lewis esophagogastrectomy: A case report

Dong Ho Park, Jae Jung Kim, Chung Sik Oh, Tae Yun Sung, Choon Kyu Cho, Hee Uk Kwon, Po Soon Kang

¹Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Konyang University Hospital, Daejeon, Korea. unt1231@naver.com
²Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Konkuk University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

A coronary artery spasm (CAS) during noncardiac surgery is rare, but it can lead to catastrophic consequences. Furthermore, cardiac arrest caused by CAS, while a patient is in a lateral decubitus position and under contralateral thoracotomy conditions, represents a major challenge to both the anesthesiologist and the surgeon. We present a case of cardiac arrest due to CAS in a 69-year-old man undergoing Ivor Lewis esophagogastrectomy surgery for esophageal cancer in the left lateral decubitus position and the right thoracotomy state. The patient was successfully resuscitated with conventional cardiopulmonary resuscitation after repositioning him to a supine position.

Key Words: Cardiac arrest, Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, Coronary artery spasm, Thoracotomy