Anaesthesia for fixation of repeated pathological fractures in a patient with multiple myeloma

Abstract

The introduction of new chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM) has improved the life expectancy and quality of life for these patients in the last decade. Therefore, more patients with MM are being treated for repeated pathological fractures. The anaesthesiologist should continue the optimum supportive care received by these patients in the perioperative period also, by understanding the pathophysiology of the disease, the adverse effects of the chemotherapeutic agents and the guidelines for their supportive care. We report the perioperative management of a patient with MM and discuss the perioperative anaesthetic considerations.

Keywords

• Anaesthesia
• multiple myeloma
• peripheral nerve block