Management of labor analgesia in a patient with acute myeloid leukemia.

The anesthetic implications of acute leukemia in pregnancy have not been reported. We describe the anesthetic management of a laboring primigravida at 34 weeks’ gestation with new-onset acute myeloid leukemia. With multidisciplinary consultation, we recommend that neuraxial anesthesia be avoided in new-onset acute myeloid leukemia due to the risk of introducing malignant cells into the central nervous system, which can spread the disease and complicate management. We discuss the use of a fentanyl patient-controlled analgesia and dexmedetomidine as a method of labor analgesia, and the potential benefits of the latter medication in the obstetric population.