KADUNA — A medical expert, Ifeanyi Kane-Aghadi, has said that patients who have been bitten by scorpions have a tendency to exhibit resistance to bupivacaine spinal block anesthesia.
Kane-Aghadi, who is a medical expert at the Department of Anesthesia, Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital, Kaduna, said this on Tuesday in a presentation at the ongoing 2021 Nigerian Medical Asociation scientific conference in Kaduna.
He said that there were reports of failed spinal anesthesia of patients as a result of a previous scorpion bite, advising anesthetists to always ask for a history of scorpion bite in any patient due to undergo surgery under spinal anesthesia.
“Scorpions bites are relatively common in our environment, especially in our villages.
“There are reports of failed spinal anesthesia of patients as a result of scorpion bite and is important we always get the history of scorpion bite from patients during pre-anaesthesia review,” he advised.
Narrating his experience with a patient who had had scorpion bite, Kene-Aghadi said, “A 32-year-old female patient with multiple fibroids was admitted for myomectomy.
“Adequate history was taken and general physical examination and all routine laboratory investigations were done within normal limits.
“Under aseptic precautions, subarachnoid block was performed at the level of L3- L4 interspace with 25 gauge quincke’s needle in sitting position, using 2.5ml, 0.5 percent hyperbaric bupivacaine.
“Thereafter, the patient was put in a supine position. Despite waiting for 20 minutes, the patient did not show any signs or symptoms of sensory blockage.
“The patient was made to sit up again and spinal anesthesia was repeated at L2-L3 interspace. A total volume of 3.0ml of 0.5 percent hyperbaric bupivacaine was injected after confirming the free flow of CSF.
“After the second attempt to give spinal anesthesia failed, we converted to general anesthesia to continue with the procedure.
“After the uneventful procedure, the patient was taken to a high dependency unit for observation.”
