Anesthetic management in pregnant women with Fontan circulation: a single-center retrospective study (2011-2026)
Authors' conclusion
In women with Fontan circulation managed within a structured multidisciplinary program, a standardized anesthetic approach incorporating low-dose combined spinal epidural anesthesia and prophylactic phenylephrine infusion was associated with favorable maternal outcomes.
Study context
- Population
- Pregnant women with Fontan circulation, 2011–2026
- Participants
- 12 women · 32 pregnancies · 17 deliveries
- Outcome
- Anesthetic technique and incidence of anesthesia-related hemodynamic instability during delivery
Methodological detailssingle-centre, tertiary referral center
- Single-centre
- Tertiary referral center
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Anesthetic technique and anesthesia-related complications
- Cesarean delivery (13/17)
- 76%
- Neuraxial anesthesia among 12 cesareans with full anesthetic details (10/12), predominantly low-dose CSE with prophylactic phenylephrine infusion
- 83%
- Invasive arterial pressure monitoring (9/12)
- 75%
- Transient hypotensive episodes
- 1
- Transient desaturation events
- 2
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Neonatal outcomes
- Prematurity (11/17 deliveries)
- 65%
- Neonatal intensive care admission (10/18 neonates)
- 56%
Safety
Maternal thromboembolic events and death · post-cesarean delivery
- Thromboembolic events post-cesarean (1 postpartum PE, 1 transient ischemic attack)
- 2
- Maternal deaths
- 0
Original publication
Anesthetic management in pregnant women with Fontan circulation: a single-center retrospective study (2011-2026). Int J Obstet Anesth. Published 9 September 2026. doi:10.
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