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Sarcoidosis

Anesthesia Implications

Updated On: July 21, 2026

Anesthesia Implications

Map the organ involvement - Sarcoid is only as relevant as the systems it hits; review PFTs and chest imaging, an ECG and echo, and an airway exam before planning.

Airway involvement - Laryngeal or endobronchial granulomas can cause a difficult airway or narrowing; ask about hoarseness or stridor and be prepared.

Cardiac sarcoid - Can cause heart block and ventricular arrhythmias — review the ECG, ask about syncope, and be ready to pace or treat arrhythmias.

Pulmonary restriction - Where lungs are involved, expect restrictive physiology and reduced reserve; ventilate protectively.

Steroids and hypercalcemia - Many are on chronic steroids (consider stress-dose coverage) and can be hypercalcemic; check and correct.

Pathophysiology

Sarcoidosis is a multisystem granulomatous disease of unknown cause that most often affects the lungs and lymph nodes but can involve the heart, airway, nervous system, and other organs.

Pulmonary involvement causes restrictive disease and sometimes airway granulomas or distortion; cardiac involvement causes conduction block and arrhythmias; laryngeal involvement can complicate the airway; hypercalcemia occurs. The anesthetic implications depend entirely on which organs are involved.


Suggested Reading

Lin T, Shacker M, Rybachok A, et al. Outcomes of Lung Transplantation for Sarcoidosis in the Lung Allocation Score Era. Clin Transplant. 2026. PMID: 42299844.
Carr ZJ, Higuero Sevilla JP. Optimizing Perioperative Management of Sarcoidosis in Noncardiac Surgery: A Focused Review and Practical Framework. Anesthesiology. 2026. PMID: 41701088.
Hemmings HC Jr, Yao FF, Goldstein PA, et al, eds. Yao & Artusio's Anesthesiology: Problem-Oriented Patient Management. 10th ed. Wolters Kluwer; 2025.
Kondo H, Murao Y, Hashimoto K. Anaesthetic management using remimazolam in a patient with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease complicated by sarcoidosis. BMJ Case Rep. 2025. PMID: 40887144.
Gropper MA, Eriksson LI, Fleisher LA, et al, eds. Miller's Anesthesia. 10th ed. Elsevier; 2024.
Hines RL, ed. Stoelting's Anesthesia and Co-Existing Disease. 8th ed. Elsevier; 2021.