In the initial phase of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, laboratory test shortages made it impossible to definitively identify patients with active COVID-19 infection or asymptomatic carriers. Without diagnostic certainty, it was imperative to proceed with caution when performing aerosol-generating procedures; this meant that anesthesiologists needed to make conscious decisions to avoid airway manipulation for procedures when it was not completely necessary. This case report describes a regional anesthetic technique that was used as the primary anesthetic for an urgent above-the-knee amputation in a patient with a history of respiratory issue of unknown etiology.
Keywords: covid-19; indications for intubation; nerve block management; peripheral nerve block; regional anesthesiology.
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