Unusual Perioperative Cardiac Emergency in a Healthy Young Woman

Abstract EN

Serious cardiac complications occurring during noncardiac surgery in a young and otherwise normal person can be quite alarming for the anesthesiologist.

We report here the case of a young, healthy woman who immediately after an uncomplicated spinal surgery developed a clinical picture suggestive of an acute myocardial infarction (MI) with positive relevant investigations.

However, she had an abrupt and full clinical recovery and complete normalization of her cardiac investigations within a few days of this event and thereafter continued to lead a normal, symptom-free life unlike the usual course in an MI; her coronary angiography was also normal.

A diagnosis of perioperative stress-induced cardiomyopathy or Takotsubo cardiomyopathy was subsequently made.

This condition is characterized by a rapid, severe, but reversible, cardiac dysfunction triggered by physical or mental stress.

Awareness of this entity should help anesthesiologists manage better this infrequent, but potentially life-threatening, perioperative complication.