Background:
Brainstem anesthesia is a transient loss of brainstem function usually associated with retrobulbar block and rarely seen by neurosurgeons.
Case description:
Here, we report a case of brainstem anesthesia during shunt revision operation in a 79-year-old woman. Local anesthesia administered at the end of surgery was thought to have infiltrated the subarachnoid space through a burr hole, causing prolonged unconsciousness and cranial nerves' impairment. Spontaneous resolution occurred during systemic support.
Conclusion:
As brainstem anesthesia may occur by leakage of local anesthetic through small burr holes, timing injections carefully can avoid this rare complication.