Successful Ultrasound-Guided Spinal Anesthesia in a Patient With Severe Hemophilia A Undergoing Total Hip

Ferrante S Gragasin1, Neel Phaterpekar1, Donald Glasgow2

  • 1Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.

Journal of Hematology
|January 8, 2024
PubMed

Neuraxial anesthesia is the preferred technique for total joint arthroplasties. However, the absolute safety of neuraxial anesthesia in hemophilia patients has not been established. We describe a case of an adult male with severe hemophilia A, who presented for primary hip replacement due to severe hemophilic arthropathy and was managed with ultrasound-facilitated neuraxial anesthesia. Due to bleeding risks, additional considerations were necessary to minimize development of postoperative spinal hematoma. There were no perioperative adverse events. Careful preoperative multidisciplinary planning, perioperative management of neuraxial anesthesia (including the use of spinal ultrasound), and hemostasis were instrumental to successfully accomplish this. Following these principles, we demonstrate that neuraxial techniques may be a safe option for managing patients with severe hemophilia A.

Related Concept Videos

Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Spinal Anesthesia01:11

Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Spinal Anesthesia

Spinal anesthetics are given during lower abdomen and limb surgeries to block sensory and motor neurons. They are administered in the mid to low lumbar regions, primarily acting on the cauda equina's nerve roots. The blockade level depends on the local anesthetic (LA) concentration. Usually, low LA concentrations are sufficient to block sensory fibers, while only high LA concentrations block motor fibers. Other factors like injection volume and speed, the patient's posture, and the drug...
635
Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Intravenous Regional Anesthesia01:16

Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Intravenous Regional Anesthesia

Intravenous regional anesthesia or the Bier block technique is used to anesthetize a specific limb or extremity. It uses exsanguinated or blood-drained vessels to transport local anesthetics or LAs to the peripheral nerve trunks. Lidocaine without vasoconstrictors like epinephrine is most commonly used for this technique. Other drugs used are prilocaine, ropivacaine, and chloroprocaine. Bupivacaine is not recommended for this technique due to its high cardiac toxicity.
One of the advantages of...
422
Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Epidural Anesthesia01:29

Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Epidural Anesthesia

Epidural anesthetics are administered in the fat-filled epidural space, the outermost part of the spinal canal. This technique is commonly employed for pain management and anesthesia during lower abdomen and pelvis surgeries or labor and delivery.
Since epidural anesthetics can be infused through an epidural catheter, all types of drugs, including short-acting ones, can be administered. Chloroprocaine and lidocaine are examples of short and long-duration anesthetics, respectively. Bupivacaine...
434