Regional Anesthesia-Analgesia in Colorectal Surgical Care for High-Risk Patients With Advanced Myasthenia Gravis: A...

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an antibody-mediated disorder that disrupts postsynaptic acetylcholine receptors with consequent fatigable weakness, bulbar symptoms, and respiratory fragility. MG patients can be challenging to manage during open abdominal surgery given the unpredictable efficacy of neuromuscular and reversal agents and the risk of precipitating an MG crisis. Regional neuraxial anesthesia eliminates the need for these agents and endotracheal intubation. Here, we report the case of a 66-year-old male with a history of advanced MG, vasovagal episodes with bradycardia and asystolic arrest, and complicated diverticulitis who underwent an uncomplicated open sigmoid colectomy achieved with epidural anesthesia-analgesia. Neuraxial anesthesia can be considered and further investigated as an effective approach in optimizing high-risk patients undergoing open laparotomy for colorectal surgical care.