Article Text
Abstract
Ultrasound (US) guided spinal anaesthesia is gaining recognition for its ability to minimise technical difficulties encountered in patients with atypical spinal anatomy. Spinal anaesthesia is administered during a surgical procedure lithotripsy in patients with respiratory complications that can result from severe scoliosis or cerebral palsy. Here, we report a case in which US-guided spinal anaesthesia proved feasible and advantageous in a patient with cerebral paralysis and severe scoliosis. A man in his 60s with cerebral paralysis and severe scoliosis was scheduled for spinal anaesthesia because of his nocturnal SpO2 drops and need for nasal high flow. Using US guidance, we confirmed that the needle entry angle was consistent with the rotating spinous process. The spinal needle was then advanced successfully, and spinal anaesthesia was administered without issue. The US technique for detecting the rotation of the vertebrae and puncturing them is useful in patients with severe scoliosis.
- Pain
- Spinal cord
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Footnotes
Contributors MY is responsible for the overall content as guarantor. The following author was responsible for drafting of the text, sourcing and editing of clinical images, investigation results, drawing original diagrams and algorithms, and critical revision for important intellectual content: MY. The following authors gave final approval of the manuscript: MY and YM.
Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
Case reports provide a valuable learning resource for the scientific community and can indicate areas of interest for future research. They should not be used in isolation to guide treatment choices or public health policy.
Competing interests None declared.
Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.