Continuous Spinal Anesthesia in a Patient with Scoliosis for Lower Limb Surgery

Scoliosis is a complex deformity of the spine resulting in lateral curvature, rotation of the vertebra, and a deformed ribcage. Scoliosis causes restrictive ventilatory defect with ventilation‑perfusion mismatch and hypoxemia. Any incidental surgical procedure is a challenge to the anesthesiologist for both general anesthesia (GA) and regional anesthesia (RA). Continuous spinal anesthesia (CSA) has several advantages over both spinal and epidural anesthesia that makes it a useful technique in high risk patients undergoing surgeries in the lower abdomen or lower limbs. We are presenting a case of CSA for fracture of both the bones of the right lower limb of a patient with reduced cardiorespiratory reserve due to scoliosis.