A 73 year-old man was admitted for transureteral prostatic resection (TURP). Spinal anesthesia is preferred for this procedure, since the majority of patients will remain awake, and will complain if there is bladder rupture or hyponatremia due to excessive absorption of fluid instilled into the bladder.

 The anesthetist preferred to give this patient a spinal within ester rather than an amide derivative

case author: Hugh S. Mathewson, M.D., Professor Emeritus, School of Allied Health, Department of Nurse Anesthesia, University of Kansas Medical Center
case editor: Michael Gordon, Ph.D.