Anesthetic management of patients with dilated cardiomyopathy

: Anesthetic management of patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) was analyzed. From January 1991 to June 1993, we had 7 patients with DCM; 5 patients received general anesthesia and 2 patients received spinal anesthesia. General anesthesia was induced and maintained generally with diazepam and fentanyl. There were two patients who suffered from intraoperative arrhythmia. One patient who received spinal anesthesia suffered from ventricular fibrillation suddenly before the operation and we performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation successfully but the operation was cancelled. One patient who underwent emergency operation for gastric perforation suffered supraventricular tachycardia during the operation, and we were required to use antiarrhythmic agent that was thought to be deleterious to cardiac function. There was no patient who died perioperatively. There was one patient in the group IV of classification of Inoh which predicts the highest risk of dying from cardiac failure. In conclusion, it is important to control arrhythmia during the management of patients with DCM under anesthesia.