Combined Spinal-Epidural for Loop Ileostomy in a Patient With End-Stage Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Case Report

Anesthesia can be a challenge for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This progressive neurological disease is associated with a high risk of aspiration and postoperative ventilatory failure. Our patient was a 72-year-old man with ALS, quadriplegia, bulbar symptoms, dysphagia, and dysarthria who underwent palliative exploratory laparotomy and loop ileostomy creation. He received a single-shot spinal anesthetic at L4-L5 and a thoracic T11-12 epidural. He tolerated the procedure well with no perioperative pulmonary complications or worsening of his ALS. To reduce the risks of general anesthesia, we chose a neuraxial approach.