Anesthetic Management for Prolonged Incidental Surgery in Advanced Liver Disease

In spite of advances in perioperative management, operative procedures in patients with chronic liver disease pose a significant challenge for the anesthesiologist due to multisystem involvement, high risk of postoperative hepatic decompensation, and mortality. We describe the anesthetic management of an elderly patient with advanced liver disease (model for end-stage liver disease 16) for prolonged abdominal surgery. The use of invasive hemodynamic monitoring, point-of-care biochemical, and hematological surveillance coupled with prompt correction of all abnormalities was responsible for good outcome. The patient's inguinal swellings turned out to be extensions of a large peritoneal mesothelioma, necessitating a large abdominal incision and blood loss. Analgesia was provided by bilateral transversus abdominis plane blocks, which helped to reduce opioid use and rapid extubation.