title: Late recurrence of postdural puncture headache.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Postdural puncture headache can recur following an epidural blood patch but usually does so within the first week. However, a late recurrence was encountered in a 31-year-old woman with probable lupus vasculitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The patient underwent a diagnostic lumbar puncture and suffered a postdural puncture headache. She was treated with an epidural blood patch and had complete resolution of her headache. Five weeks later, she suffered a sudden recurrence of an identical headache and underwent a repeat epidural blood patch.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The second headache, like the first, was immediately and completely resolved.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A review of risk factors for postdural puncture headache and the role of an epidural blood patch suggests a possible explanation for the late recurrence in this case.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia, Auckland Hospital, New Zealand.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sidebotham
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Willoughby
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Schug
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017217:Blood Patch, Epidural / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D012008:Recurrence; D013129:Spinal Puncture / Q000009:adverse effects*