Spinal anesthesia for nonpulmonary surgery in a lung transplant recipient

The anesthetic implications for patients requiring anesthesia for surgery a fter lung transplantation have not been thoroughly studied. The use of spin al anesthesia in patients undergoing lumbar laminectomy has been well descr ibed. This case demonstrates the use of spinal anesthesia for lumbar lamine ctomy in a patient who had previously undergone a bilateral lung transplant ation. Spinal anesthesia was used to minimize the risk of respiratory compl ications such as aspiration, atelectasis, and pneumonia that may be associa ted with administration of a general anesthetic.