Unexplained fitting in three parturients suffering from postdural puncture headache.
We present the cases of three women who, within a 6-month period, suffered post-partum generalized tonic-clonic seizures. All had received an epidural in labour for analgesia and were subsequently diagnosed as suffering from postdural puncture headache. All were treated for that headache with Synacthen and one also received sumatriptan before her seizures. All made satisfactory recoveries and were discharged home. None displayed classical patterns suggestive of pre-eclampsia, meningitis, cortical venous thrombosis or any other pathological process that might explain these events adequately, and the specific precipitating factors were left unidentified.
Oliver
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CD
Whipps Cross Hospital, Whipps Cross Road, Leytonstone, London E11 1NR, UK.
White
S A
SA
D000328:Adult; D015360:Analgesia, Epidural / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000773:Anesthesia, Obstetrical / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003366:Cosyntropin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D012640:Seizures / Q000209:etiology*; D013129:Spinal Puncture / Q000009:adverse effects; D018170:Sumatriptan / Q000627:therapeutic use
D003366:Cosyntropin; C006418:adrenocorticotropin zinc; D018170:Sumatriptan