Failed regional anesthesia with reduced spinal bupivacaine dosage in a parturient with achondroplasia presenting for urgent cesarean section

A 36-year-old patient with a history of previous back surgery, asthma, latex allergy and achondroplasia presented for urgent cesarean delivery at 31 weeks' gestation for worsening nonimmune fetal hydrops. The fetus was diagnosed with trisomy 21 and achondroplasia. Because of the urgent clinical situation, the patient was given a spinal anesthetic, which required supplemental intravenous sedation after delivery of the fetus. This case report discusses the controversies in anesthetic management of this complicated patient and compromised fetus regarding general anesthesia, epidural, spinal and combined spinal-epidural anesthesia.