[A case of emergency surgery in a patient with bronchial asthma under continuous spinal anesthesia]

A 78-year-old male, observed for bronchial asthma, underwent two emergency operations within eight days. The first operation was performed under general anesthesia with tracheal intubation. Anesthesia was maintained by sevoflurane-oxygen and continuous infusion of propofol in combination with epidural injection of lidocaine. During the operation, respiratory sound was almost clear. But wheezing occurred as he awoke after discontinuation of the anesthetics. He needed ventilatory support for three days for status asthmatics. The second operation was performed under continuous spinal anesthesia using hypobaric tetracaine and hyperbaric bupivacaine. No ventilatory support was necessary after the operation and he was discharged uneventfully.