title: Post-laminectomy cerebrospinal fluid fistula treated with epidural blood patch.
abstract: OBJECTIVES AND SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Cerebrospinal fluid fistula after spinal surgery is associated with a definite risk of meningitis or discitis, and as a result, early active intervention usually is recommended.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This report describes the successful use of an epidural blood patch after a more conventional intervention--namely, surgical re-exploration--had failed to control a postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leak.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The techniques involved in performing a blood patch after spinal surgery may well differ from those usually recommended in the management of spinal headache resulting from other causes of dural puncture.
authors: Department of Anaesthesia, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia.
authors: N F
authors: NF
authors: Maycock
authors: J
authors: J
authors: van Essen
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Pfitzner
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017217:Blood Patch, Epidural; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid; D017577:Cutaneous Fistula / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005402:Fistula / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007796:Laminectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male