Case Report: Anesthetic Management for A Pregnant Patient with Pulmonary Hypertension and Eisenmenger Syndrome
Main Article Content
Abstract
Pregnancy in women with heart disease is associated with a higher risk of deterioration of the mother's cardiac status and adverse pregnancy outcomes, including complications such as arrhythmias, premature birth, fetal growth restriction, and a significant risk of maternal and fetal mortality. Few heart conditions pose a massive risk to the mother's life; these include Eisenmenger syndrome, pulmonary hypertension with right ventricular dysfunction, and Marfan syndrome.
We present the case of a 34-year-old female patient with a history of congenital heart disease and Eisenmenger syndrome of 13 years' duration without medical treatment. She presented to the emergency department at 38 weeks' gestation with dyspnea on mild exertion, perioral cyanosis, arrhythmic heart sounds, a hyperdynamic precordium, and diastolic tricuspid and pulmonic murmurs. An emergency cesarean section was performed, resulting in termination of the pregnancy. with anesthetic management with fractional epidural block without success changing anesthetic technique to balanced general anesthesia, discharged patient to ICU orointubated, coupled to mechanical ventilator, without vasopressor support at the time, where she presents a torpid evolution requiring vasopressors without success, until death.
Article Details

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
References
I. Rodríguez-Chiaradía, D. A., Torres-Castro, R., Piccari, L., García-Ortega, A., Perez-Peñate, G. M., de Miguel-Díez, J., Perez-Rojo, R., Cano-Pumarega, I., Mora-Cuesta, V., Blanco, I., Figueira-Gonçalves, J. M., del Pozo, R., López-Meseguer, M., Martínez-Meñaca, A., Tenes, A., Molina-Molina, M., & Barberà, J. A. (2025). A systematic review and expert recommendation on the diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension associated with lung disease: A position paper of the Spanish Society of Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR). Archivos de Bronconeumología, 61(10), 617–625.Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arbres.2025.03.015
II. Hernández-Cruz, Rosa Gabriela, Copado-Mendoza, Diana Yazmín, Acevedo-Gallegos, Sandra, Rubalcava-Rubalcava, Tirso, Pérez-Montaño, Anais, & Márquez-González, Horacio. (2021). Hipertensión pulmonar y síndrome de Eisenmenger en la embarazada. Serie de casos. Ginecología y obstetricia de México, 89(4), 309-317. Epub 11 de febrero de 2022.https://doi.org/10.24245/gom.v89i4.2916
III. Lacassie Q., H. J., & r., y. M. V. (2013). HIPERTENSIÓN PULMONAR EN LA PACIENTE EMBARAZADA: MANEJO ANESTESIOLÓGICO PERIOPERATORIO. Revistachilenadeanestesia.cl. https://revistachilenadeanestesia.cl/PII/revchilanestv42n01.11.pdf
IV. Hernández-Cruz, R. G., Copado-Mendoza, D. Y., Acevedo-Gallegos, S., Rubalcava-Rubalcava, T., Pérez-Montaño, A., & Márquez-González, H. (2021). Hipertensión pulmonar y síndrome de Eisenmenger en el embarazo: Serie de casos. Ginecología y Obstetricia de México, 89(4), 309–317. https://www.scielo.org.mx/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0300-90412021000400005
V. Safdar Z. Pulmonary arterial hypertension in pregnant women. Therapeutic Advances in Respiratory Disease. 2012;7(1):51-63. doi:10.1177/1753465812461680
VI. Pohar, S., Saif, N., & El-Khally, Z. (2025). Eisenmenger syndrome unmasked following TAVR for aortic insufficiency. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 85(12), 3281
VII. Aldama Acevedo, Damaris, & Pacheco Ambriz, Daniel. (2023). Síndrome de Eisenmenger en paciente obstétrica. Reporte de caso en la Unidad de Terapia Intensiva. Medicina crítica (Colegio Mexicano de Medicina Crítica), 37(8), 713-716. Epub 11 de marzo de 2025.https://doi.org/10.35366/115230
VIII. Simonneau, G., Galiè, N., Rubin, L. J., Langleben, D., Seeger, W., Domenighetti, G., Gibbs, S., Lebrec, D., Speich, R., Beghetti, M., Rich, S., & Fishman, A. (2004). Clasificación clínica de la hipertensión pulmonar. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 43(12 Suppl), S5–S12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2004.02.037
IX. Barberà J, Román A, Gómez-Sánchez M, Blanco I, et al. Guía de diagnóstico y tratamiento de la hipertensión pulmonar: resumen de recomendaciones. Archivos de Bronconeumología. 2018; 54 (4): 205-15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arbres.2017.11.014
X. Bossone E, D’Andrea A, D’Alto M, Citro R, Argiento P, Ferrara F, et al. Echocardiography in pulmonary arterial hypertension: from diagnosis to prognosis. J Am Soc Echocardiogr 2013;26(1):1–14. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.echo.2012.10.009
XI. Calderón-Colmenero, J., Sandoval Zárate, J., & Beltrán Gámez, M. (2015). Hipertensión pulmonar asociada a cardiopatías congénitas y síndrome de Eisenmenger. Archivos de cardiologia de Mexico, 85(1), 32–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acmx.2014.11.008
XII. Nowroozpoor, A., Malekmohammad, M., Seyyedi, S. R., & Hashemian, S. M. (2019). Pulmonary hypertension in intensive care units: An updated review. Tanaffos, 18(3), 180–207. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7210574/
XIII. Beghetti, M., & Galiè, N. (2009). Eisenmenger syndrome: A clinical perspective in a new therapeutic era of pulmonary arterial hypertension. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 53(9), 733–740. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2008.11.025
XIV. Gleicher, N., Midwall, J., Hochberger, D., & Jaffin, H. (1979). Eisenmenger's syndrome and pregnancy. Obstetrical & Gynecological Survey, 34(10), 721–741. https://doi.org/10.1097/00006254-197910000-00001
XV. Sahni, S., Palkar, A. V., Rochelson, B. L., Kępa, W., & Talwar, A. (2015). Pregnancy and pulmonary arterial hypertension: A clinical conundrum. Pregnancy Hypertension, 5(2), 157–164
XVI. Romero Requejo, A., Goya Canino, M. del M., Martín Boado, E., López Rojano, M., Pijuán Domenech, A., Ruiz Cantador, J., & de la Calle Fernández Miranda, M. (2025). Manejo de las enfermedades cardiacas en la gestación. Progresos de Obstetricia y Ginecología, 68(2), 56–86. https://sego.es/documentos/progresos/v68-2025/n2/05%20Manejo%20de%20las%20enfermedades%20cardiacas%20en%20la%20gestacion.pdf
XVII. Martínez-Salazar, Guillermo Genaro, & Martínez-Delgado, Eduardo. (2019). Embarazada con cardiopatía e hipertensión arterial pulmonar: Anestesia subaracnoideo: Descripción del caso. Anestesia en México, 31(1), 62-66. Recuperado en 24 de febrero de 2026, de http://www.scielo.org.mx/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2448-87712019000100062&lng=es&tlng=es.
XVIII. Parneix, M., Fanou, L., Morau, E., & Colson, P. (2009). Low-dose combined spinal-epidural anaesthesia for caesarean section in a patient with Eisenmenger’s syndrome. International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia, 18(1), 81–84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijoa.2008.08.003
XIX. Cole, P. J., Cross, M. H., & Dresne, M. (2001). [Título del artículo]. British Journal of Anaesthesia, 86(5), 723–726. https://doi.org/10.1093/bja/86.5.723
XX. Cole P J, Cross M H Dresner M. Incremental spinal anaesthesia for elective Caesarean section in a patient with Eisenmenger’s syndrome. Br J Anaesth 2001; 86: 723-726.
XXI. Fang, G., Tian, Y. K., & Mei, W. (2011). Anaesthesia management of caesarean section in two patients with Eisenmenger’s syndrome. Anesthesiology Research and Practice, 2011, 972671. https://doi.org/10.1155/2011/972671
XXII. Ammash, N. M., Connolly, H. M., Abel, M. D., & Warnes, C. A. (1999). Noncardiac surgery in Eisenmenger syndrome. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 33(1), 222–227. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0735-1097(98)00554-3
XXIII. Martínez-Salazar, Guillermo Genaro, & Martínez-Delgado, Eduardo. (2019). Embarazada con cardiopatía e hipertensión arterial pulmonar: Anestesia subaracnoideo: Descripción del caso. Anestesia en México, 31(1), 62-66. Recuperado en 24 de febrero de 2026, de http://www.scielo.org.mx/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2448-87712019000100062&lng=es&tlng=es
XXIV. González Navarro, P., Martínez Salazar, G. G., Olivero Vásquez, Y. I., Monares Zepeda, E., Nares Torices, M., & Hurtado Martínez, A. S. (2022). Agentes uterotónicos: algoritmo poscesárea. Revista Chilena de Anestesia, 51(6), 662–670. https://doi.org/10.25237/revchilanestv5128091547 (doaj.org)
XXV. Yang, C. Y., Wei, W., & Tao, G. C. (2011). Dangers of rapid oxytocin administration in Eisenmenger’s syndrome. International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia, 20(1), 96–97. https://www.obstetanesthesia.com/article/S0959-289X(10)00097-X/abstract
XXVI. Laguarda, M. (2000). Spinal anesthesia in Eisenmenger's syndrome and gestation. Revista Española de Anestesiología y Reanimación, 43(8), 426–430. https://www.elsevier.es/es-revista-progresos-obstetricia-ginecologia-151-articulo-anestesia-raquidea-sindrome-eisenmenger-gestacion-10017710