Dilated cardiomyopathy: an anaesthetic challenge.

Idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy is a primary myocardial disease of unknown etiology characterized by left ventricular or biventricular dilation and impaired contractility. Depending upon diagnostic criteria used, the reported annual incidence varies between 5 and 8 cases per 100,000 populations. Dilated cardiomyopathy is defined by presence of: a) fractional myocardial shortening less than 25% (>2SD) and/or ejection fraction less than 45% (>2SD) and b) Left Ventricular End Diastolic Diameter (LVEDD) greater than 117% excluding any known cause of myocardial disease. Such cases are always a challenge to the anesthesiologist as they are most commonly complicated by progressive cardiac failure. We report the anesthetic management of a patient with dilated cardiomyopathy undergoing surgery for carcinoma breast.