title: The use of Quincke and Whitacre 27-gauge needles in orthopedic patients: incidence of failed spinal anesthesia and postdural puncture headache.
abstract: This study examined the incidence of failed spinal anesthesia and postdural puncture headache using a 27-gauge Whitacre and a 27-gauge Quincke needle in patients undergoing elective inpatient orthopedic procedures. The overall rate of failed spinal anesthesia was 8.5% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 4.6%-12.4%] (n = 17) in the Quincke group (n = 199) and 5.5% [95% CI = 2.3%-8.7%] (n = 11) in the Whitacre group (n = 199). This difference was not statistically significant. The overall incidence of postdural puncture headache (PDPH) was 0.8%; 1.1% [95% CI = 0%-2.4%] (n = 2) in the Quincke group and 0.5% [95% CI = 0%-1.5%] (n = 1) in the Whitacre group. These differences were not statistically significant. All headaches were classified as mild and resolved spontaneously with conservative management. The mean time for withdrawal of the stylet to appearance of cerebrospinal fluid was 10.8 +/- 6.9 s in the Quincke (n = 31) and 10.7 +/- 6.8 s in the Whitacre group (n = 33). These differences were not statistically significant. Our results suggest that both needles are associated with a very low incidence of PDPH and an incidence of failed anesthesia of 5.5%-8.5%.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Anesthesiology, Universität zu Köln, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lynch
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kasper
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Strick
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Topalidis
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schaaf
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zech
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Krings-Ernst
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000775:Anesthesia, Spinal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009339:Needles; D017211:Treatment Failure