Spinal Anesthesia Using the Double-Needle Technique for Thoracolumbar Spine Fracture Surgery: A Case Series

Spinal anesthesia (SA) has emerged as a viable alternative to general anesthesia (GA) for thoracolumbar spine surgeries. The double-needle technique (DNT) aims to enhance the precision and efficacy of SA in these procedures. The DNT (SA at two levels) involves performing two separate spinal punctures at different vertebral interspaces during the same procedure, often used to optimize anesthesia spread. This case series evaluates the feasibility, safety, and clinical outcomes of DNT in patients undergoing thoracolumbar spine fracture fixation. This case series includes five patients diagnosed with thoracolumbar spine fractures who underwent surgical fixation under SA using the DNT. Data on patient demographics, intraoperative hemodynamics, sensory and motor blockade characteristics, anesthesia-related complications, and postoperative recovery were collected and analyzed. All patients achieved adequate surgical anesthesia with the DNT. Hemodynamic stability was maintained in most cases, with minimal vasopressor requirements. None of the patients required conversion to GA. Multimodal analgesia was used to manage postoperative pain. No major anesthesia-related complications were observed. The DNT appears to be a safe and effective approach for SA in thoracolumbar spine surgery. It offers hemodynamic stability, adequate surgical anesthesia, and prolonged postoperative analgesia. Further studies with larger sample sizes are warranted to validate these findings.