Delayed paraplegia following spinal anaesthesia. Spinal subdural haematoma following dural puncture with a 25 G pencil point needle at T12-L1 in a patient taking aspirin.
We report an extremely rare complication of regional anaesthesia, a spinal subdural haematoma, which resulted in permanent neurological damage occurring 8 days after dural puncture at T12-L1. Although spinal subdural haematoma following spinal anaesthesia and lumbar puncture has been described before, this is the first report of this complication occurring after dural puncture using a 25 G atraumatic pencil point (Whitacre) needle. Contributory factors might have been the perioperative intermittent low dose aspirin therapy and the fact that spinal anaesthesia was performed at the T12-L1 level.
Pryle
B J
BJ
Department of Anaesthesia, Frenchay Hospital, Bristol.
Carter
J A
JA
Cadoux-Hudson
T
T
D000368:Aged; D000775:Anesthesia, Spinal / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000009:adverse effects; D001241:Aspirin / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006408:Hematoma, Subdural / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009339:Needles; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000209:etiology*; D011184:Postoperative Period
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D001241:Aspirin