Regional anesthesia for a total knee arthroplasty on an adult patient with spastic diplegia and an intrathecal baclofen pump

Abstract

We describe the clinical presentation of a patient with spastic diplegia, and its unique perioperative challenges. Opioids and antispasmodic medications are the primary therapy for managing pain and spasticity in the perioperative setting. However, such combination results in several side-effects and their sedative properties are synergistic. A 64-year-old woman with a history of spastic diplegia and an intrathecal baclofen pump for the treatment of her lower extremity spasticity was scheduled for a third elective left knee arthroplasty. She requested a regional anesthetic for the anticipated surgery and an opioid sparing postoperative analgesic regiment. We describe the successful use of a lumbar plexus and a sciatic nerve block as the primary anesthetic for the surgery and the use of a continuous lumbar plexus catheter for the postoperative course. Based on our patient’s past anesthetic history, a regional anesthetic/analgesic technique is the ideal strategy in controlling perioperative pain and spasticity