Anaesthetic management of phaeochromo-cytoma associated with tricuspid atresia

Abstract

The anaesthetic management of a patient with phaeochromo-cytoma, tricuspid atresia and pulmonary vascular stenosis is reported. The patient received no preoperative preparation with adrenergic blockers. Anaesthesia was induced and maintained with fentanyl, diazepam and sevoflurane. Intraoperative blood pressure was controlled with sodium nitroprusside, sevoflurane, phentolamine, and propranolol. For hypotension after resection of the tumour norepinephrine was required. This patient did not have a systemic to pulmonary shunt procedure performed, so the maintenance of pulmonary blood flow in the presence of haemodynamic instability during operation for phaeochromocytoma was a major concern. Monitoring of oxyhaemoglobin saturation (SpO2) with a pulse oximeter was considered to be useful because SpO2 may reflect pulmonary flow. During serious haemodynamic disturbances due to the manipulation of the tumour, the heart rate was inversely correlated with SpO2, but the relationship between mean arterial pressure and SpO2 was weak. Therefore, control of heart rate appeared to be more important than control of blood pressure in this case. © 1991 Canadian Anesthesiologists.