Epidural anesthesia combined with sedation with dexmedetomidine for appendectomy in a patient with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a case report

BACKGROUND: Patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) present increased risks for anesthesia-related complications. We present a case of epidural anesthesia combined with sedation with dexmedetomidine for open appendectomy in a patient with ALS who refused invasive mechanical ventilation. CASE PRESENTATION: A 50-year-old man with a 3-year history of ALS was scheduled to undergo open appendectomy due to repeated appendicitis. He refused to undergo invasive mechanical ventilation using an endotracheal tube. Hence, we decided to administer epidural anesthesia combined with sedation with dexmedetomidine for anesthesia during the surgical procedure. The patient underwent open appendectomy without complications and with no pain or discomfort during surgery. There were no neurological complications at the 3-month follow-up after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Epidural anesthesia combined with sedation with dexmedetomidine may be effective for the anesthetic management of patients who would benefit from regional anesthesia.