A paraspinal abscess following spinal anaesthesia for caesarean section and patient-controlled epidural analgesia for postoperative pain.
We present a rare case in which a healthy parturient developed a paraspinal abscess after spinal anaesthesia for caesarean section and epidural analgesia for postoperative pain management. The catheter was in situ for 58 h. Backache was the initial and major symptom. A concealed course with no neurological deficit resulted in a delayed diagnosis and treatment in this case. The infection was not diagnosed until 20 days after the removal of the epidural catheter when there was a purulent discharge from the epidural puncture site. Surgical drainage was required. Anaesthesiologists should be aware that serious epidural analgesia-related infections can happen in extra spinal-epidural spaces. Vigilance for these infections, especially in postpartum patients with backache, is needed.
Huang
Y Y
YY
Department of Anesthesiology, Neurological Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Zuo
Z
Z
Yuan
H B
HB
Tsou
M Y
MY
Chen
M T
MT
Tsai
S K
SK
D000038:Abscess / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D015360:Analgesia, Epidural; D016058:Analgesia, Patient-Controlled; D000773:Anesthesia, Obstetrical; D000775:Anesthesia, Spinal; D002585:Cesarean Section; D004322:Drainage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011247:Pregnancy