[HELP syndrome and anesthetic management].

From January 1990 to December 1994, 24 parturients were diagnosed as having HELLP syndrome alone or combined with preeclampsia/eclampsia among 8,224 patients who were delivered at our institution. They consisted of 14 primiparous and 10 multiparous patients. Mean maternal age was 28.9 +/- 3.3 and gestational age was 34.8 +/- 5.6 weeks. Of 24 parturients, 8 had vaginal delivery and the remaining 16 were delivered by caesarean section. Serious maternal morbidity included eclampsia (n = 3), preeclampsia (n = 18), renal failure (n = 5), hydrothorax (n = 4), and DIC (n = 1). There was no maternal death. There were 3 intrauterine fetal deaths and two neonatal deaths. Perinatal deaths were 2 (0.9%, 2/26). Three caesarean sections were performed under general anesthesia, and 13 under spinal anesthesia. In cases with apparent bleeding tendency, spinal and epidural anesthesia should be avoided. In providing general anesthesia, hypertension should be controlled, and the uterus is preferably dilated before the delivery and contracted there-after.