• Kelvin How Yow Quek and Darren Shing Kuan Phua.
• Department of Anaesthesia, Changi General Hospital, 2 Simei Street 3, Singapore 529889. kelvin_quek@cgh.com.sg.
• Singap Med J. 2014 Mar 1; 55 (3): e39-41.

AbstractWe present a case of an open surgical repair of an infraumbilical hernia, which was performed on a 45-year-old man categorised as American Society of Anesthesiologists class 4; he weighed 107 kg, and had a body mass index of 34.2 kg/m2 and nonischaemic cardiomyopathy (left ventricular ejection fraction of 20%). Due to the patient's significant perioperative risks, the surgery was performed with the patient under ultrasonography-guided bilateral rectus sheath blocks; 15 mL of 1% lignocaine and 10 mL of 0.5% bupivacaine were deposited in the space between the rectus abdominis and posterior rectus sheath. The patient tolerated the surgery with minimal further sedation and additional analgesia. Rectus sheath block is a useful regional technique for periumbilical surgery, allowing surgery in highrisk patients while avoiding general anaesthesia and central neuraxial blockade. The use of real-time ultrasonographic guidance may reduce risks of peritoneal puncture, bleeding and visceral injury, while potentially increasing the rate of success.

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