Prolonged placement of spinal catheters does not prevent postdural puncture headache.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether leaving an intrathecal catheter in place in the postoperative period prevents postdural puncture headache (PDPH).


METHODS
Lumbar puncture was performed with an 18-gauge Tuohy needle. 0.5% bupivacaine spinal anesthesia was given through a 20-gauge catheter in 87 patients having orthopedic surgery. Postoperatively, patients were allocated randomly to have the catheter immediately withdrawn (group 1, N = 47) or kept in place for 12 to 24 hours (group 2, N = 40). Patients were questioned by a blinded observer, about PDPH twice a day on postoperative days 1, 2, 3, and 8.


RESULTS
The incidence of PDPH was 9.2%, and this was comparable in the two groups (5 patients in group 1 and 3 patients in group 2).


CONCLUSIONS
Leaving the intrathecal catheter in place in the postoperative period for 12 to 24 hours does not prevent PDPH.
Liu
N
N
Département d'Anesthésie Réanimation, Hôpital Henri Mondor, Creteil, France.
Montefiore
A
A
Kermarec
N
N
Rauss
A
A
Bonnet
F
F
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000775:Anesthesia, Spinal; D002045:Bupivacaine; D002404:Catheterization; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009985:Orthopedics; D013129:Spinal Puncture / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013997:Time Factors
D002045:Bupivacaine