Safety of spinal anaesthesia in patients with recent coronary stents

Complications relating to spinal anaesthesia following antiplatelet therapy are unclear. We report on a patient with a known history of chronic obstructive airway disease with respiratory tract infection who presented for emergency pseudoaneurysm repair. He underwent recent coronary stent implantation and was treated with clopidogrel and aspirin. Despite dual antiplatelet therapy, spinal anaesthesia was administered safely with prior platelet transfusion. Therefore, regional anaesthesia can be considered in selected patients with prior platelet transfusion on dual antiplatelet drugs when it is deemed to be necessary.