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DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1668565
Monitoring of Blood Pressure is not Enough to Avoid Neonatal Postoperative Encephalopathy
Publication History
22 January 2017
15 February 2017
Publication Date:
20 September 2018 (online)
Abstract
Background Neonatal encephalopathy with seizures after general anesthesia not occurring in infants undergoing cardiac or major neurosurgery is very uncommon. An ischemic origin due to cerebral hypoperfusion from perioperative hypotension has been suggested, but there is a lack of a consensus definition for intraoperatory hypotension in neonates.
Case Report We report the first case of neonatal encephalopathy with seizures in a neonate with anorectal malformation. He underwent a colostomy with caudal anesthesia combined with light general anesthesia. Intraoperative systolic blood pressure and mean blood pressure values were considered normal. Thirty-two hours after the intervention, the patient presented electroclinical seizures. Diffusion-weighted imaging showed bilateral involvement with reduced diffusivity in the watershed areas of the middle cerebral artery and posterior cerebral artery.
Conclusion Perioperative monitoring of blood pressure is not enough in neonatal surgery. Cerebral magnetic resonance imaging should be considered in infants with noncardiac congenital anomalies after neonatal surgery and long-term follow-up is required.
