A case of subclavian artery aneurysm with history of ischemic heart disease operated under cervical epidural anesthesia

Subclavian artery aneurysm is usually operated under general anesthesia (GA), but in specific situations, it can also be conducted under regional anesthesia (RA) such as cervical epidural anesthesia (CEA). A 48-year-old male presented with chief complaint of progressive swelling in the right side of the neck for the past 3 months following trauma. He was diagnosed as subclavian artery aneurysm, and surgical intervention was advised. He had previous history of angina 4 months back for which tablet aspirin 75 mg and tablet clopidogrel 75 mg once daily was prescribed. Cardiological evaluation revealed of an ejection fraction of around 30% with mild left ventricular hypokinesia and grade 2 diastolic dysfunction. Due to the poor cardiac functional status of the patient, RA with CEA was planned. The risk with GA in cases with a history of myocardial ischemia is more than RA, hence, it is better to use CEA which is equally efficacious in such high-risk cases.