Intraoperative anaphylaxis: verba volant, scripta manent!

Eur Ann Allergy Clin Immunol. 2005 Nov;37(9):339-40.

Abstract

We describe a case of intraoperative gelatine-induced anaphylaxis whose diagnosis was delayed as the use of gelatine during surgical procedures was omitted for two times in patient's medical records. The subject is a 66-year old woman, with a negative medical history of atopy, food and drug allergy, with arterial hypertension on a course of beta-blockers and with bladder carcinoma requiring surgery. The patient had tolerated both general and local anaesthesia on several previous occasions. On the first occasion she experienced arterial fibrillation secondary to a severe episode of hypotension following local anaesthesia, while on a course of beta-blockers. On the second occasion she developed a very severe episode of hypotension followed by the outbreak of a generalised rash during general anaesthesia. The tryptase sera level was 109 mg/L one hour after the reaction had subsided, while the basal values were normal. On the third occasion the patient redeveloped severe hypotension and a generalised rash during general anaesthesia. The allergological work-up was negative, except for intradermal test with gelatine. A study of the intra-cellular cytokines in blood lymphocytes showed a production of IL4 from CD4+ lymphocytes after stimulation by gelatine. The patient underwent a successive surgical procedure without any adverse event.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / therapeutic use
  • Aged
  • Anaphylaxis / etiology*
  • Anesthesia, General / adverse effects
  • Anesthetics / adverse effects
  • Anesthetics / immunology
  • Drug Hypersensitivity*
  • Female
  • Gelatin / adverse effects*
  • Gelatin / immunology*
  • Humans
  • Hypertension / drug therapy
  • Hypotension / etiology
  • Intraoperative Complications / etiology*
  • Polymers / adverse effects*
  • Serine Endopeptidases / blood
  • Tryptases
  • Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / surgery

Substances

  • Adrenergic beta-Antagonists
  • Anesthetics
  • Hemaccel
  • Polymers
  • Gelatin
  • Serine Endopeptidases
  • Tryptases