Perioperative and Anesthetic Management of Coarctation of the Aorta

Isolated coarctation of the aorta is a relatively common form of congenital heart disease that is characterized by variable degrees of obstruction to aortic outflow. The clinical presentation varies from asymptomatic arterial hypertension to cardiogenic shock. The treatment options include surgical repair or interventional therapy with aortic balloon dilation and stent placement. This article will summarize the pathophysiology as well as describe the surgical and interventional procedures. The anesthetic management for those interventions will be reviewed