The Anesthetic Challenges of Caring for a Pediatric Patient With Incontinentia Pigmenti: A Case Report

Abstract

Incontinentia pigmenti (IP) is a rare X-linked dominant disorder. We present a case of an infant with IP who was brought to the operating room for panretinal diode photocoagulation under general anesthesia. The anesthesia team was unable to obtain intravenous access even with instruments such as a vein finder and ultrasound. Anesthesia for IP patients also poses challenges such as prevention of the oculocardiac reflex, obesity and airway management, and preemptive measures for intravenous access due to skin manifestations. Patients with IP may present with many challenges for the anesthesiologist during all phases of anesthetic management.