title: Guillain-Barré syndrome after epidural anesthesia: direct nerve root damage may trigger disease.
abstract: Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) appeared in four patients 1 to 2 weeks after epidural anesthesia. In all patients, clinical diagnosis was confirmed by CSF findings and nerve conduction velocity studies. Although epidural anesthesia has not been listed as an antecedent event in GBS, evidence for the relationship has been previously reported. Interaction between the anesthetic agents and peripheral nervous system myelin or local trauma to roots may initiate a cascade of immunologic events that result in the demyelinating neuropathy.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Steiner
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Argov
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cahan
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Abramsky
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000767:Anesthesia, Epidural; D000775:Anesthesia, Spinal; D000777:Anesthetics / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D011129:Polyradiculoneuropathy / Q000209:etiology*; D013126:Spinal Nerve Roots
chemical_list: D000777:Anesthetics