Takotsubo cardiomyopathy in a patient with oral cancer

Abstract

A patient with squamous cell carcinoma on the left mandible presented with symptoms similar to acute coronary syndrome just after surgery. The exact etiology was unclear, but following transthoracic echocardiogram, takotsubo cardiomyopathy was diagnosed. This is a rare, acute, and reversible form of heart failure, and the patient recovered completely within weeks. Related risk factors are believed to include extended surgery times and extended time under general anesthesia. Early recognition, followed by postoperative control of pain and anxiety are crucial to patient recovery.