• Scott A Lang, Chris Prusinkiewicz, and Ban C H Tsui.
• Department of Anesthesiology, Foothills Hospital, University of Calgary.
• Can J Anaesth. 2005 Jan 1;52(1):74-8.

PurposeTo report the case of a patient who experienced failed spinal anesthesia following a psoas compartment block (PCB) and discuss its implications.Clinical FeaturesA 70-yr-old male was scheduled for a right total hip arthroplasty. He agreed to a PCB for postoperative analgesia and a spinal anesthetic. The spinal anesthetic was performed after completion of the PCB. Free flow of clear fluid was demonstrated at the beginning and at the end of the presumed intrathecal injection. General anesthesia had to be induced because of failure of the spinal anesthetic. The patient awoke from his general anesthetic with a functional PCB and no evidence of residual neuraxial anesthesia. The possibility of epidural spread of local anesthetic from the PCB impairing the ability to perform spinal anesthesia is discussed and reviewed. We hypothesize that local anesthetic in the epidural space may have falsely reassured the anesthesiologist that the needle was properly placed.ConclusionWe describe a case of failed spinal anesthesia following a PCB and discuss its implications.

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