Anesthesia in Marfan patients

The incidence of Marfan syndrome (MFS) is as high as 2-3every 1000 newborns. As the diagnosis of MFS is sometimeschallenging and not infrequently delayed, only an accuratepreoperative assessment may increase the index of suspicion.Therefore, when the anesthesiologist, preoperatively, encoun-ters a tall young patient with an abnormal length of the ex-tremities relative to the trunk, heart murmur and history ofspontaneously detached retina or lens dislocation, the clinicalsuspicion of Marfan misdiagnosis should arise. In such pa-tients a more accurate preoperative screening with a detailedanesthesiological and surgical workup is mandatory. Fre-quently undiagnosed, patients may be difficult to approachfrom the anesthetist's perspective mainly due to skeletal de-formities, aortic vascular disease and heart valve associateddisorders. Referral to a highly experienced center for MFS isstrongly suggested also for minor procedures to avoid major complications