Anaesthetic Management of a Patient with Guillain-Barré Syndrome undergoing Proximal Humerus Fracture Surgery: A Case Report

Abstract

Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) is an autoimmune disorder which can present in acute and chronic forms. It is an inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. These patients pose potential perioperative risks of autonomic dysfunction and respiratory muscle weakness. The current case report shows a 66-year-old female with a history of a fall at home eight days prior to surgery, diagnosed with a right-sided proximal humerus fracture. The patient was a diagnosed case of GBS and hypertension since five years. For GBS, she had a history of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission for both upper and lower limb muscle weakness and breathlessness. She recovered with treatment of Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIg) and oxygen therapy. The weakness improved gradually over time but did not fully recover. The patient continued to have weakness in both lower and upper limbs prior to surgery. The patient underwent Joshi’s External Stabilising System (JESS) fixation surgery for the right proximal humerus fracture. Ultrasound-guided (USG) interscalene and superficial cervical plexus block were performed in view of pre-existing muscle weakness and to reduce the requirement of postoperative ventilator support. The intraoperative course was uneventful. The patient’s sensory and motor power returned to the same prior to surgery after the block’s effects subsided.

Keywords

• autoimmune disorder
• interscalene block
• polyneuropathy