Haemodynamic management using non-invasive cardiac output monitoring for urgent craniotomy in fragile X syndrome: Case report

Fragile X syndrome is an inherited form of mental retardation with a connective tissue component involving mitral valve prolapse. The most frequent manifestations of fragile X syndrome are learning disability, orofacial morphological alterations and macroorchidism. The usefulness of advanced haemodynamic monitoring for goal-directed therapy is increasingly high during neurosurgical procedures. Non-invasive cardiac output monitoring may be considered as a new alternative for emergency neurosurgical procedures. Our aim was to detect haemodynamic changes in a syndromic fragile X patient, given the usual concomitant presentation of cardiovascular disease, such as mitral valve prolapse and dilated aortic root, in an attempt at obtaining the best intraoperative and postoperative neurological outcomes without worsening cardiovascular function, by means of individualized intra-operative goal directed therapy. This type of non-invasive monitoring allows surgery to proceed without delay and provides excellent information of the haemodynamic status. This syndrome is relevant due to its anaesthetic implications and the paucity of cases published to date.