Ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia in a pediatric patient with acute intermittent porphyria: Literature review and case report

Ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia techniques placed under general anesthesia have not been reported in pediatric patients with acute intermittent porphyria (AIP). A 9-year-old male with AIP presented for right inguinal herniorraphy. Family history included one relative's death after anesthesia. Preoperative preparation included reviewing medications safe for AIP patients, minimizing known AIP triggers (fasting, stress) and ensuring access to rescue medications. Intraoperative management included a propofol induction with the patient's mother present in the operating room. We performed an ultrasound-guided ilioinguinal-iliohypogastric nerve block under general anesthesia. The surgery proceeded without complications and the patient did not demonstrate signs of an AIP crisis.