title: Cardiac arrest during emergency cesarean section for severe pre-eclampsia and peripartum cardiomyopathy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To present the correlation between severe pre-eclampsia and peripartum cardiomyopathy in pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 41-year-old parturient, gravida 3, para 1, at 34 4/7 weeks' gestation, was diagnosed with severe pre-eclampsia. At the time of admission, a plain chest film disclosed bilateral pleural effusions. An emergent cesarean section was planned because of decreased fetal movement, heavy daily protein loss, and bilateral pleural effusions. During the cesarean section, she developed shock with acute respiratory failure. She underwent advanced cardiac life support and intubation with mechanical ventilator support. Peripartum cardiomyopathy was subsequently diagnosed by echocardiography.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presented case demonstrates that routine echocardiography is highly recommended for suspected peripartum cardiomyopathy in gravidas with severe pre-eclampsia and symptoms or signs of heart failure.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Meng-Han
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Defense Medical Center, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsin-Hui
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Defense Medical Center, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yu-Ju
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Defense Medical Center, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Kwei-Shuai
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Defense Medical Center, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yu-Chi
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Defense Medical Center, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: su108868@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Her-Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Su
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004452:Echocardiography; D004630:Emergencies; D005260:Female; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000601:surgery*; D011247:Pregnancy
keywords: heart failure; peripartum cardiomyopathy; pleural effusion; severe pre-eclampsia