Labor Epidural Analgesia in a Patient With Brown-Séquard Syndrome: A Case Report

While epidural analgesia is generally considered safe in parturients with common spinal cord injuries, little is known about the safety or efficacy of this technique in patients with Brown-Séquard syndrome, a rare disorder consisting of 2% of traumatic spinal cord injuries. We present a case of successfully placing and managing a labor epidural in a patient with Brown-Séquard syndrome who developed a dense block with minimal local anesthetic requirements. To minimize trauma and preserve potentially vulnerable remodeled neural pathways, we recommend cautious, slow epidural medication dosing and use of neuraxial ultrasound rather than landmark-based techniques in these patients.

[Anesthesia for cesarean section in pregnant woman with Guillain Barré syndrome: a case report]

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Guillain Barré syndrome (GBS) is an autoimmune neurological disease characterized by an acute or subacute demyelinating polyradiculoneuritis. It is an unusual event during pregnancy and a challenge for the anesthesiologist, due to the possibility of impairment of neuromuscular function and occurrence of respiratory complications in the postoperative period. The objective of this paper is to discuss the anesthetic management of a pregnant patient affected by the disease.

CASE REPORT

Female patient, 30 years old, 38 weeks' pregnant, diagnosed with fetal death that occurred about a day, and with SGB. Cesarean section was performed under general anesthesia, progressing without complications perioperatively.

CONCLUSIONS

Although it is uncommon, GBS can affect pregnant women and the anesthesiologist may encounter such patients in his (her) daily practice. It is important to understand the peculiarities of GBS to adequately address the patient in the perioperative period, contributing to its better evolution.