Continuous Spinal Anesthesia for Emergent Laparotomy in a Patient With Severe Pulmonary Comorbidities: A Case Report

Severe pulmonary conditions in patients undergoing surgery place them at greater risk of adverse outcomes. Alternatives to general anesthesia are encouraged, particularly for emergent interventions, as these procedures can compromise the patients' full recovery postoperatively. We describe an example of an underused anesthetic technique, continuous spinal anesthesia, to circumvent the perioperative risk of major abdominal surgery, successfully avoiding invasive mechanical ventilation in these patients.