• Xiang Li, Qiaomei Zhou, Xingan Zhang, and Bo Xu.
• Department of Anesthesiology, General Hospital of Southern Theatre Command of PLA, Guangzhou, China.
• Medicine (Baltimore). 2023 Oct 20; 102 (42): e35624e35624.

IntroductionClaustrophobia is a form of phobic anxiety disorder characterized by panic attacks. Anesthesia in patients with claustrophobia poses a challenge because these patients reject all treatments in an enclosed space. When such patients are treated in uncomfortably enclosed environments, it can cause mental distress and even sudden psychiatric death.Case PresentationWe report the case of a 55-year-old man with severe anxiety disorder and claustrophobia who required anesthesia for the surgical treatment of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. This patient had a history of severe anxiety and claustrophobia for more than 40 years, without having received any treatment for the condition. The patient had failed to tolerate multiple chamber surgeries. Following multidisciplinary discussion, the patient's surgery was performed under general anesthesia in the operating room after the patient underwent induction of anesthesia outside the operating room.ConclusionsThis case report shows that patients with claustrophobia need to be provided a comfortable environment for induction and awakening from anesthesia.Copyright © 2023 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.

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