[Spinal anesthesia (saddle block) in Friedreich's diseases]

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Anesthesiology

Background:

• Friedreich's disease is a rare, progressive neurological disorder affecting spinal nerves.
• Anesthesia choice in Friedreich's disease patients presents a clinical dilemma.

Observation:

• A 36-year-old patient with spinocerebellar heredoataxia (Friedreich's disease) required a proctological procedure.
• Spinal anesthesia was administered in a sitting position.

Findings:

• The procedure utilized 3 mg of hyperbaric bupivacaine for spinal anesthesia.
• Both intraoperative and postoperative periods were uneventful.
• No complications related to the underlying neurological condition were observed.

Implications:

• Regional anesthesia, specifically spinal anesthesia, appears to be a viable and safe anesthetic option for surgical procedures in patients with Friedreich's disease.
• This case suggests that careful administration of spinal anesthesia can be managed without exacerbating neurological deficits in these patients.