An unexpected cause of cardiac arrest during laparoscopy in an infant with supravalvar aortic stenosis

Patients with congenital supravalvar aortic stenosis (SVAS) with associated biventricular outflow tract obstruction and coronary artery abnormalities have a tenuous myocardial oxygen supply/demand relationship. They are at increased risk of acute myocardial ischemia and sudden death, especially during anesthesia. Furthermore, resuscitation during cardiac arrest is frequently unsuccessful. We report a case of perioperative cardiac arrest due to an unexpected cause in a 2 month old with SVAS during a laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication.