Coronary artery bypass grafting in cold-induced urticaria.

Cold-induced urticaria is an unusual systemic disorder that develops in response to exposures to cold temperatures in susceptible individuals. Patients with cold urticaria are potentially at risk of severe systemic anaphylactic shock-like reactions. This disorder is of unique clinical importance in cardiac surgery, considering the use of cardiopulmonary bypass and hypothermia. Contact of blood with hypothermia and subsequent warming can be associated with hemodynamic instability, hypotension, and cardiovascular collapse, mainly during the period of rewarming. We report the case of a 41-year-old woman with chronic cold-induced urticaria, who underwent a successful coronary bypass grafting, and describe perioperative management of this rare disorder. 2010 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.