Continuous spinal anaesthesia for abdominal surgery in a patient receiving amiodarone

The perioperative management of a 57-yr-old patient receiving chronic amiodarone therapy with a continuous spinal anaesthetic for a low anterior resection of the colon is discussed. The most appropriate anaesthetic technique for patients receiving chronic amiodarone therapy remains controversial, but the avoidance of general anaesthesia may be beneficial because of the risk of postoperative pulmonary failure. In this patient continuous spinal anaesthesia was slowly titrated to the desired level, coincident haemodynamic alterations were easily treated as they developed, and high serum local anaesthetic concentrations which occur with other regional anaesthetic techniques were avoided.