Epidural analgesia followed by epidural hydroxyethyl starch prevented post-dural puncture headache:Twenty case reports and a review of the literature

BACKGROUND Accidental dural puncture(ADP)and subsequent post-dural puncture headache(PDPH)remain common complications of epidural procedures for obstetric anesthesia and analgesia.No clear consensus exists on the best way to prevent PDPH after ADP.CASE SUMMARY We report our findings in twenty parturients who underwent an incorporated strategy of epidural analgesia followed by epidural hydroxyethyl starch(HES)to prevent PDPH after ADP with a 16-gauge Tuohy needle during epidural procedures.ADP with a 16-gauge Tuohy needle occurred in nine parturients undergoing a cesarean section(CS)and in eleven parturients receiving labor analgesia.An epidural catheter was re-sited at the same or adjacent intervertebral space in all patients.After CS,the epidural catheter was used for postoperative pain relief over a 48-h period.After delivery in eleven cases,epidural infusion was maintained for 24 h.Thereafter,15 mL of 6%HES 130/0.4 was administered via the epidural catheter immediately prior to catheter removal.None of the parturients developed PDPH or neurologic deficits over a follow-up period of at least two months to up to one year postpartum.CONCLUSION An incorporated strategy of epidural analgesia followed by epidural hydroxyethyl starch may have great efficacy in preventing PDPH after ADP.

Dural puncture epidural technique provides better anesthesia quality in repeat cesarean delivery than epidural technique:Randomized controlled study

BACKGROUND Repeat cesarean deliverys involve a longer surgery and more severe visceral traction than primary cesarean deliverys.The dural puncture epidural(DPE)technique provides faster and more effective analgesia for labor,but there is no sufficient evidence to indicate whether it is suitable for parturients undergoing repeat cesarean delivery.AIM To determine the efficacy and safety of the DPE anesthesia technique in patients undergoing repeat cesarean delivery.METHODS Patients undergoing repeat cesarean delivery were randomly divided into the DPE and epidural anesthesia(EA)groups.A 25-G spinal needle was used for dural puncture via a 19-G epidural needle.The patients in the two groups were injected with 5 mL of 2%lidocaine followed by 15 mL of a mixture of 1%lidocaine+0.5%ropivacaine as the epidural dosage.The primary outcome was the onset time of sensory block to the T6 dermatome level and the sensory and motor block degree.RESULTS A total of 115 women were included(EA:57,DPE:58).The mean time to sensory block to the T6 Level was significantly shorter in the DPE group than in the EA group(14.7 min vs 16.6 min;95%confidence interval,13.9 to 15.4 vs 15.8 to 17.4;P=0.001).The cranial sensory block level was significantly higher at 5,10,and 15 min after the initial dose in the DPE group than in the EA group(P<0.05).The sacral sensory block level was significantly higher and the modified bromage score was significantly lower in the DPE group at each time point(P<0.05).Adverse effects and neonatal outcomes were comparable between the two groups(P>0.05).CONCLUSION The DPE technique provided higher-quality anesthesia than the EA technique,with a rapid onset of surgical anesthesia,better cranial and sacral sensory block spread and a higher motor block degree,without increasing the incidence of maternal or fetal side effects in patients undergoing repeat cesarean delivery.

Post Dural Puncture Headache—Review and Suggested New Treatment

Objectives: After reading this article, readers should be able to recognize Post Dural Puncture Headache, understand its mechanism and diagnostic criteria, evaluate the different treatment options available, and be familiar with a novel treatment option. Background: Post-dural puncture headache is the most common serious complication resulting from lumbar puncture and epidural or spinal anesthetics. The syndrome is characterized by severe headache that occurs within 48 hours following the puncture, located in the frontal and/or occipital region, worsened in the upright position and refractory to routine analgesia. The syndrome incidence was reported to be approximately 1% with typical obstetric anesthesiology practice which reflects more than 20,000 cases per 2014 in the US. Two possible mechanisms are hypothesized as responsible for this syndrome;cerebrospinal fluid leakage and pneumocephalus. Multiple methods of treatment have been applied with wide-ranging results. Design or Methods: Review article with introduction of a novel treatment option. Results: We postulate that Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy can be used to treat post-dural puncture headache. The rationale for treatment is dual: enhancement of fibroblast proliferation at the site of dural puncture to facilitate faster closure of the tear and compression of air bubbles in case of pneumocephalus according to Boyle’s law. We also claim that hyperbaric oxygen therapy should be considered a prophylactic treatment, if a dural tear is suspected.

Chronic Subdural Hematoma, a Cause of Persistent Post-Dural Puncture Headache in the Postpartum Period

Background: Chronic subdural heamatoma (CSDH) is a disease that predominantly occurs in the elderly population. This is because of physiological atrophy of the brain parenchyma and frailty which leads to higher risk of falls. CSDH is unusual in the younger population but can be seen in the context of impact injuries in the younger population and mostly in males. Case Reports: We describe CSDH in 4 young postpartum mothers with no history of trauma. All had cesarean section births under spinal anaesthesia. The 4 mothers’ ages range from 24 years to 32 years. They presented with persistent post-dural puncture headaches with 2 of the mothers having focal neurological deficits. They presented between 4 weeks and 6 weeks after cesarean section. Three mothers underwent burrhole evacuation with one mother having a craniotomy. All recovered after surgery. Conclusion: Spinal anaesthesia and disruption of the CSF dynamics is the only identifiable risk factors in these young mothers. A longitudinal follow-up of mothers undergoing spinal anaesthesia should be done to document the incidence of CSDH in postpartum mothers.

Epidural hydroxyethyl starch ameliorating postdural puncture headache after accidental dural puncture

Background:No convincing modalities have been shown to completely prevent postdural puncture headache(PDPH)after accidental dural puncture(ADP)during obstetric epidural procedures.We aimed to evaluate the role of epidural administration of hydroxyethyl starch(HES)in preventing PDPH following ADP,regarding the prophylactic efficacy and side effects.Methods:Between January 2019 and February 2021,patients with a recognized ADP during epidural procedures for labor or cesarean delivery were retrospectively reviewed to evaluate the prophylactic strategies for the development of PDPH at a single tertiary hospital.The development of PDPH,severity and duration of headache,adverse events associated with prophylactic strategies,and hospital length of stay postpartum were reported.Results:A total of 105 patients experiencing ADP received a re-sited epidural catheter.For PDPH prophylaxis,46 patients solely received epidural analgesia,25 patients were administered epidural HES on epidural analgesia,and 34 patients received two doses of epidural HES on and after epidural analgesia,respectively.A significant difference was observed in the incidence of PDPH across the groups(epidural analgesia alone,31[67.4%];HES-Epidural analgesia,ten[40.0%];HES-Epidural analgesia-HES,five[14.7%];P<0.001).No neurologic deficits,including paresthesias and motor deficits related to prophylactic strategies,were reported from at least 2 months to up to more than 2 years after delivery.An overall backache rate related to HES administration was 10%.The multivariable regression analysis revealed that the HES-Epidural analgesia-HES strategy was significantly associated with reduced risk of PDPH following ADP(OR=0.030,95%confidence interval:0.006-0.143;P<0.001).Conclusions:The incorporated prophylactic strategy was associated with a great decrease in the risk of PDPH following obstetric ADP.This strategy consisted of re-siting an epidural catheter with continuous epidural analgesia and two doses of epidural HES,respectively,on and after epidural analgesia.The efficacy and safety profiles of this strategy have to be investigated further.

Epidural Blood Patches Performed with Miethke Sensor Reservoir for Continuous Intracranial Pressure Monitoring

An epidural blood patch (EBP) is a procedure performed by injecting autologous blood into a patient’s epidural space, usually at the site of a suspected CSF leak. It is typically performed in patients with characteristic postural headaches due to low intracranial pressure. We report a case of a young female with an implanted Miethke Sensor Reservoir, which was used for continuous intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring during a two-level epidural blood patch. ICP increased only with thoracic injection, suggesting thoracic EBP may have greater efficacy than lumbar EBP in treating SIH and PDPH when the site of CSF leak is unknown.

An Unusual Case of Herpes Simplex Meningitis after Inadvertent Puncture of the Subarachnoid Space

The study seeks to report the clinical evolution of a patient who suffered an inadvertent subarachnoid puncture and evolved with a herpetic viral meningitis, confirmed by cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis. Female, 48 years old, submitted to epidural anesthesia, for surgery, with median puncture, between L2-L3 and inadvertently accessed the subarachnoid space, with clear cerebrospinal fluid. The same puncture was used and the solution with 15 mg hyperbaric bupivacaine and 80 mcg morphine was administered. There was no complication during the entire surgical procedure. On the first postoperative day, she started complaining of headache and nausea, being treated with dipyrone, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and ondansetron. On the third day, she presented two episodes of seizure that ceased with the use of diazepam 10 mg. On the fifth day, the patient presented fever and seizures, which did not stop with medication, requiring sedation, orotracheal intubation and transfer to the intensive care unit. Lumbar puncture was performed for CSF analysis, which was positive for Herpes simplex type I. The patient was extubated, on the second day of hospitalization, maintained with a maintenance dose of phenytoin, sumatriptan, dipyrone, metoclopramide and acyclovir 500 mg, remaining intravenous, without presenting new seizures for 45 days, when she was discharged. After 30 days, he returned for a review consultation without making a complaint.

Postpartum posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome secondary to preeclampsia and cerebrospinal fluid leakage:A case report and literature review

BACKGROUND Postpartum posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome(PRES) is not uncommon.Its mechanisms and risk factors are not clear.CASE SUMMARY A 28-year-old woman underwent cesarean section but had inadvertent dural puncture during epidural anesthesia.To manage the symptoms of intracranial hypotension,crystalloid fluid was infused.However,the patient developed postpartum preeclampsia and PRES.The patient was treated with diazepam and dehydration therapy.The signs of cerebral lesions on magnetic resonance imaging disappeared on postpartum day 7.CONCLUSION Postpartum preeclampsia and PRES can develop concomitantly.Treating postdural puncture headaches with infusion of crystalloid fluid may precipitate the development of PRES.