Anaesthetic management of a pregnant patient in a persistent vegetative state

Br J Anaesth. 2000 Sep;85(3):479-81. doi: 10.1093/bja/85.3.479.

Abstract

Pregnancy in a patient in a persistent vegetative state presents challenging therapeutic questions about the level of supportive management required, the assessment of fetal well-being, the timing and mode of delivery and the anaesthetic management of labour and delivery. We report the case of a 29-yr-old woman who had a favourable fetal outcome despite suffering hypoxic brain damage after a suicide attempt by a drug overdose. She was managed until the onset of labour on an intensive care unit and had a spontaneous vaginal delivery assisted by epidural anaesthesia.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Amnion / surgery
  • Anesthesia, Epidural / methods*
  • Anesthesia, Obstetrical / methods*
  • Anesthetics, Local*
  • Bupivacaine*
  • Decision Making
  • Drug Overdose
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypoxia, Brain / chemically induced
  • Hypoxia, Brain / complications
  • Labor, Induced
  • Oxytocin / administration & dosage
  • Persistent Vegetative State / chemically induced
  • Persistent Vegetative State / complications*
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications / chemically induced
  • Pregnancy Complications / therapy*
  • Suicide, Attempted

Substances

  • Anesthetics, Local
  • Oxytocin
  • Bupivacaine