Case Report: Perioperative Management in Patients with Acromegaly

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Acromegaly is a chronic, progressive and multisystemic disease caused by growth hormone hypersecretion by a functioning pituitary macroadenoma. Some clinical features of this disease are important for anesthetic management, especially those that affect the upper airway, and the cardiac, respiratory and metabolic systems. CASE REPORT: Male 34 year old patient, with progressive increase of feet, hands, nose, skull bone and tongue size, diagnosed with acromegaly caused by growth hormone producing pituitary macroadenoma. Later he presents with severe SAHOS, mitral and mild tricuspid insufficiency; so transsphenoidal resection of pituitary macroadenoma was programed. During preanesthetic evaluation was classified as ASA III Surgical Risk, Lee Cardiac Risk 0.04%, NYHA I, and high probability of difficult airway. The anesthetic induction scheme was: propofol 120 mg, remifentanil 0.2 mcg / kg / min, rocuronium 50 mg. Atraumatic orotracheal intubation using McCoy leaf N4, with reinforced endotracheal tube N 7.5 was achieved. EVOLUTION: The patient was taken to Intensive Care Unit for post-surgical control. The patient remained hospitalized for 7 days and was discharged in stable condition without neurological deficit. He is still in follow up of the severe SAHOS. It has been reported improvement of the episodes of night apnea. CONCLUSION: Patients with pituitary gland disease undergoing surgery can present some anesthetic challenges, from the airway management, to the important hemodynamic and ventilatory challenges during the surgical procedure. It is important to anticipate and prevent the possible complications and correct them in time in order to avoid irreversible injuries that increase the patient’s morbidity