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Aortocaval compression syndrome
Other names	Supine hypotensive syndrome
A watercolor drawing of a pregnant woman lying flat on her back, causing the aorta and inferior vena cava to compress and reduce circulation.
Specialty	Obstetrics and gynaecology

Aortocaval compression syndrome, also known as supine hypotensive syndrome, is compression of the abdominal aorta and inferior vena cava by the gravid uterus when a pregnant woman lies on her back, i.e. in the supine position. It is a frequent cause of low maternal blood pressure (hypotension), which can result in loss of consciousness and in extreme circumstances fetal demise.

Signs and symptoms

Aortocaval compression syndrome may cause syncope, restlessness, dizziness, headache, tinnitus, visual disturbances, numbness or paresthesia of the limbs, abdominal/chest discomfort or pain, nausea, and vomiting. Some patients may be asymptomatic.

See also

• Inferior vena cava syndrome
• Complications of pregnancy

References

1. Kiefer R, Ploppa A, Dieterich H (2003). "". Der Anaesthesist. 52 (11): 1073–83, quiz 1084. doi:10.1007/s00101-003-0596-6. PMID 14992095. S2CID 8424182.
2. Banaś T, Godula Z, Herman R (2004). "". Ginekol Pol. 75 (8): 633–7. PMID 15517787.
3. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (2018). Nancy Caroline's Emergency Care in the Streets (8th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Publishers. p. 2036.
4. Zhao, Pei-Shan (September 1, 2014). "Supine Hypotensive Syndrome: A Comprehensive Review of Literature". Translational Perioperative and Pain Medicine. Transpopmed. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
5. SW, Lee; KS, Khaw; WD, Ngan Kee; TY, Leung; LA, Critchley (2012). "Haemodynamic effects from aortocaval compression at different angles of lateral tilt in non-labouring term pregnant women". British Journal of Anaesthesia. 109 (6). Br J Anaesth: 950–956. doi:10.1093/bja/aes349. ISSN 1471-6771. PMID 23059960.

Further reading

• Chen, Shouming; Wu, Lan; Jiang, Xiaoqin (2019). "Aortocaval compression resulting in sudden loss of consciousness and severe bradycardia and hypotension during cesarean section in a patient with subvalvular aortic stenosis". BMC Anesthesiology. 19 (1): 116. doi:10.1186/s12871-019-0791-x. ISSN 1471-2253. PMC 6610927. PMID 31272377.
• AJ, Lee; R, Landau (2017). "Aortocaval Compression Syndrome: Time to Revisit Certain Dogmas". Anesthesia and Analgesia. 125 (6). Anesth Analg: 1975–1985. doi:10.1213/ANE.0000000000002313. ISSN 1526-7598. PMID 28759487.

External links

• The Free Dictionary
• StatPearls

• Syndromes
• Pathology of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium
• Anesthesia