Anesthetic management of the parturient with relapsing polychondritis.

PURPOSE: To present the anesthetic management of a parturient with relapsing polychondritis (RP) and to discuss the anesthetic implications of RP.

CLINICAL FEATURES: A 28-yr-old primiparous woman with known RP, spondyloarthropathy and fibromyalgia presented for urgent Cesarean delivery for breech presentation and prodromal labour. Her pregnancy had been complicated by a hospital admission for an exacerbation of her RP as manifested by hoarseness, increased pain and tenderness of her left ear and nasal bridge cartilages, sinusitis with bloody nasal discharge and increased pain and tenderness of the anterior tracheal rings. Epidural anesthesia was administered for the Cesarean delivery. Her intraoperative and postoperative course was uneventful. Close cooperation among obstetricians, anesthesiologists and rheumatologists resulted in a successful outcome.

CONCLUSION

Relapsing polychondritis is a syndrome with important anesthetic implications. Multidisciplinary cooperation is essential in managing these high risk parturients.