Achondroplasia: anaesthetic challenges for caesarean section.

[achondroplasia]

Pregnancy in women with achondroplasia presents major challenges for anaesthetists and obstetricians . We report the case of a woman with achondroplasia who underwent general anaesthesia for an elective caesarean section . She was 99 cm in height and her condition was further complicated by severe kyphoscoliosis and previous back surgery . She was reviewed in the first trimester at the anaesthetic high -risk clinic . A multidisciplinary team was convened to plan her peripartum care . Because of increasing dyspnoea caesarean section was performed at 32 weeks of gestation . She received a general anaesthetic using a modified rapid-sequence technique with remifentanil and rocuronium . The intraoperative period was complicated by desaturation and high airway pressures . The woman 's postoperative care was complicated by respiratory compromise requiring high dependency care .