PARAPLEGIA AFTER EPIDURAL-ANESTHESIA FOR VASCULAR-SURGERY

A case is reported of a 67-year-old man who underwent major vascular surgery (iliobifemoral bypass with unilateral sympathectomy) under epidural anaesthesia and resulting in permanent neurological damage. Lumbar epidural anaesthesia was carried out using a mixture of bupivacaine, lidocaine with adrenaline, and alfentanil. The surgical course was uneventful, except for a 30 minute period of relative hypotension (90 vs. 110 mmHg preoperatively). Continuous epidural analgesia (12 ml . h-1 of 0.125 % bupivacaine without adrenaline) was started after the end of surgery. Twelve hours later, flaccid lower limb paralysis was noted, but thought to be due to the bupivacaine. At the 24th hour, the epidural analgesia was discontinued and the catheter removed. There were a motor paralysis and a partial sensory block, raising to the level of T10 (temperature and pain). A CT scan and myelography of the thoracolumbar spine revealed no anomaly. The sensory loss ended within ten days, but the motor deficit regressed only slightly. Unfortunately, the patient died on the 16th day after an episode of severe chest pain. The probable cause of the neurological damage was an anterior spinal infarct. It was not possible to determine the degree of responsability of the peripheral vascular disease, the anaesthetic or the surgery.