Cesarean section under general anesthesia for antepartum reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome: A case report

Abstract

Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS) is characterized by acute and usually severe headache related to multifocal vasoconstriction of cerebral arteries, reversible within 3 months. About 10% of RCVS are pregnancy-related, but only three cases of antepartum RCVS have been described. We report the case of a 26-year-old pregnant woman who presented at 36 weeks gestation with antepartum RCVS. Delivery was managed by cesarean section under general anesthesia. Though she developed focal neurologic deficits on the first postoperative day, these resolved at hospital discharge. This case highlights pre-and post-partum multidisciplinary management including cesarean section under general anesthesia.

Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome: literature review

“…The prognosis of RCVS is uncertain, but most patients have self-limiting manifestations [ 1 , 11 , 28 ] and a benign prognosis [ 40 , 44 , 54 , 81 ], with 90–95% of patients recovering within weeks. Headache is reported to resolve within 3 weeks [ 7 , 43 ], and angiographic findings within 12 weeks [ 7 , 9 , 12 , 43 , 64 ].…”