Cervical plexus block for thyroidectomy: experience with a giant goitre: case report

Local or regional anaesthesia has long been recognised as a useful anaesthetic option for thyroidectomy. A few authors have reported the successful use of local infiltration anaesthesia for thyroidectomy in our environment. The technique is said to be particularly suitable for simple giant goitres. Cervical plexus block has also been found useful for this operation in other parts of the world. However, we are unaware of any report on the use of cervical plexus block for thyroidectomy in our environment. We used bilateral superficial cervical plexus block for thyroidectomy in a 20-year old girl with a simple multinodular goitre. Surgery was performed with the patient in the classical thyroidectomy position. Though the patient was lightly sedated during the operation, the anaesthetist maintained communication with her throughout the procedure. Anaesthesia was generally effective, except for minor complaints of pressure symptoms during mobilization of the gland and postural aches. These, the patient described as tolerable. Surgery, which lasted 2 hours 45 minutes, was uneventful. The patient was allowed oral fluid intake within 2 hours postoperatively. Superficial cervical plexus block is simple, safe, effective and cheap for thyroidectomy for Simple Giant Goitre.