Peripheral nerve block combined with general anesthesia for lower extremity amputation in hemodialysis patients: case series

BACKGROUND: Anesthetic management of lower extremity amputation in chronic hemodialysis (HD) patients can be challenging because of their poor cardiovascular status. As previously reported, peripheral nerve block (PNB) may be beneficial in these complicated cases. We report the effects of PNB combined with general anesthesia on hemodynamic stability in HD patients undergoing elective lower extremity amputation. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 13 HD patients who underwent lower extremity amputation. Patients received general anesthesia (GA group, n = 7) or general anesthesia combined with PNB (GA with PNB group, n = 6), as decided by the anesthesiologists. Mean blood pressure (MBP), systolic blood pressure (SBP), lowest BP, heart rate (HR), blood loss, fluid and blood infusion volumes, and doses of vasopressors required were compared for hemodynamic assessment. The coefficient of variation ([Formula: see text] ) of MBP (CV(MBP)) and SBP (CV(SBP)) was calculated to compare hemodynamic stability. Intraoperative opioid use and postoperative pain scores at rest using a numerical rating scale (NRS) on postoperative days 0 and 1 were compared for pain assessment. We also assessed 30-day mortality. RESULTS: CV(MBP) in the GA group was significantly higher than that in the GA with PNB group (0.15 ± 0.05 and 0.08 ± 0.04, respectively, p = 0.03). The CV(SBP) in the GA group was also significantly higher than that in the GA with PNB group (0.16 ± 0.02 and 0.09 ± 0.01, respectively, p = 0.03). No significant differences in other hemodynamic parameters were observed. Intraoperative fentanyl doses were significantly lower in the GA with PNB group (GA 210.7 ± 99.9 μg vs. GA with PNB 113.0 ± 75.6 μg, p = 0.04). There were no significant differences in other pain parameters and 30-day mortality between the groups. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that PNB combined with general anesthesia contributes to intraoperative hemodynamic stability through better pain control in HD patients undergoing lower extremity amputation.