Anaesthesia Considerations in a Case of Alkaptonuria Posted for Total Knee Arthroplasty.

Alkaptonuria is a rare hereditary condition in which homogentisic acid is deposited in collagenous tissues, leading to blackish discoloration, degenerative changes, restricted mobility, and pain in the affected part. The skeletal system is commonly affected, resulting in the stiffening of the vertebral spine, shoulders, knees, hip joints, and thoracic cage. Additionally, the degenerative process involves heart valves, endocardium, and kidneys, with associated pathophysiological changes. These patients present significant challenges in neuraxial anesthesia, airway management, and postoperative pain relief. In this report, we present the anesthetic management of a case of alkaptonuria undergoing total knee arthroplasty and discuss the encountered difficulties. We conclude that the perioperative anesthesia management of alkaptonuria patients requires thorough planning to effectively address the various challenges associated with the administration of anesthesia.

Recent advancements in regional anaesthesia.

Patient safety, improved quality of care, and better patient satisfaction and functional outcomes are currently the topmost priorities in regional anaesthesia (RA) and all advancements in RA move in this direction. Ultrasonography-guided central neuraxial and peripheral nerve blocks, intracluster and intratruncal injections, fascial plane blocks, diaphragm-sparing blocks, use of continuous nerve block techniques, and continuous local anaesthetic wound infiltration catheters are now topics of popular clinical interest. The safety and efficacy of nerve blocks can be improved with the help of injection pressure monitoring and the incorporation of advanced technology in the ultrasound machine and needles. Novel procedure-specific and motor-sparing nerve blocks have come up. The anaesthesiologist of the current era, with a good understanding of the sonoanatomy of the target area and the microarchitecture of nerves, along with the backup of advanced technology, can be very successful in performing RA techniques. RA is rapidly evolving and revolutionising the practice of anaesthesia.