MANAGEMENT OF A PARTURIENT WITH AN UNCORRECTED ATRIOVENTRICULAR-CANALDEFECT

A 24-year-old woman at 37 weeks gestation, with an uncorrected atriove ntricular canal defect and incipient congestive heart failure is prese nted. This rare defect is part of the larger group of endocardial cush ion defects. The peripartum anesthetic management of this condition ha s not been described. Our patient had a large atrial septal defect, a common regurgitant atrioventricular valve, a large left-to-right shunt and a small ventricular septal defect. Her pregnancy was maintained u ntil she developed symptoms of congestive heart failure. We discuss he r peripartum management, monitoring and anesthetic choices.