Anesth Pain Med.  2013 Oct;8(4):249-253.

Cardiac arrest due to coronary spasms in a patient in a lateral decubitus position and contralateral thoracotomy state during Ivor Lewis esophagogastrectomy: A case report

• Park DH
• Kim JJ
• Oh CS
• Sung TY
• Cho CK
• Kwon HU
• Kang PS

Abstract

A coronary artery spasm (CAS) during noncardiac surgery is rare, but it can lead to catastrophic consequences. Furthermore, cardiac arrest caused by CAS, while a patient is in a lateral decubitus position and under contralateral thoracotomy conditions, represents a major challenge to both the anesthesiologist and the surgeon. We present a case of cardiac arrest due to CAS in a 69-year-old man undergoing Ivor Lewis esophagogastrectomy surgery for esophageal cancer in the left lateral decubitus position and the right thoracotomy state. The patient was successfully resuscitated with conventional cardiopulmonary resuscitation after repositioning him to a supine position.

Keyword

Cardiac arrest; Cardiopulmonary resuscitation; Coronary artery spasm; Thoracotomy

MeSH Terms

Aged
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
Coronary Vessels
Esophageal Neoplasms
Heart Arrest*
Humans
Spasm*
Supine Position
Thoracotomy*