A 76-year-old female patient was scheduled for tracheostomy. She suffered from progressive general muscle weakness for 1 year, and diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) last month. She had dyspnea and difficulty with swallowing. We planned bilateral superficial cervical plexus block (SCPB) for regional anesthesia. Bilateral SCPB was conducted with 0.5 % ropivacaine 20 ml (10 ml per each side) under ultrasound guided. After confirming sensory blockade, the operation had begun. For sedation and adjuvant pain reduction, ketamine was administered intravenously by intermittent bolus (0.5 mg/kg). Spontaneous respiration was maintained without any other complication until the end of operation.
Key words: Superficial cervical plexus block, regional anesthesia, tracheostomy.
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