Total hip replacement in a jehovash's witness patient: (Case report)

Abstract

67 year old Jehovah's witness patient was assigned for total hip arthroplasty operation under general anaesthesia. In order to decrease blood loss during the operation, 45 minutes prior to general anaesthesia, a posterior approach lumbar plexus block (LPB) was managed with bupivacaine 0.5 % 4 mL/kg through L3-4 level. No complication was encountered. Blood loss was 300 mL and 380 mL during and after the operation, respectively. VAS scores were below 2 and morphine consumption was 10 mg during postoperative 48 hours. Posterior approach LPB may be an alternative to other techniques in patient's whose peroperative blood loss might be a concern for the anaesthesiologist such as Jehovah's witness patients.