Spinal subarachnoid hematoma is a very rare complication of spinal anesthesia. This complication can, and is, often overlooked and dismissed as a fatal neurological consequence of (what amounts to) delayed diagnosis. In this case, a 59-year-old female patient with no specific medical history underwent right knee arthroscopy under spinal anesthesia. The arthroscopic surgery concluded without complications but, on the first postoperative day, the patient complained of lower back pain, headache, nausea, vomiting. On the fifth postoperative day, magnetic resonance imaging was taken and it revealed evidence of a subarachnoid hematoma involving the L3 and L4 vertebral levels. Hematoma evacuation was performed, and the patient recovered without sequelae. Here, we report this case that lumbar spinal subarachnoid hematoma was found five days after spinal anesthesia which was done in a patient without coagulopathy.
Anesthesia, Spinal* ; Arthroscopy ; Delayed Diagnosis ; Female ; Headache ; Hematoma* ; Humans ; Knee ; Low Back Pain ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Aged ; Nausea ; Vomiting

STUDY DESIGN: Case report. OBJECTIVES: We report a case of spinal subarachnoid hematoma that developed after spinal anesthesia in a female patient who had no risk factors. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: Few case reports of spinal subarachnoid hematoma (SSH) after spinal anesthesia have been published. The incidence of SSH is much less than that of epidural hematoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 56-year-old female patient underwent arthroscopic surgery on her right knee under spinal anesthesia. Automated patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) was applied after surgery. On day 2, the patient complained of lower back pain, headache, nausea, and vomiting, but there were no neurological signs in the lower extremity. At day 5, she had a moderate fever (38.4°) and continuous nausea and vomiting. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was conducted on day 5 and a large subarachnoid hematoma was found. We immediately performed surgical hematoma evacuation. Her low back and buttock pain improved immediately, and all symptoms disappeared in a week without any neurological sequelae. RESULTS: The unusual and vague symptoms in this case made the diagnosis difficult, but spinal MRI confirmed SSH. Immediate surgical hematoma evacuation improved all symptoms and left no neurologic sequelae. CONCLUSIONS: SSH after spinal anesthesia may have cerebral symptoms that mimic the side effects of PCA. Early diagnosis by MRI and surgical evacuation of the SSH are a reasonable approach for this complication.
Analgesia, Patient-Controlled ; Anesthesia, Spinal ; Arthroscopy ; Buttocks ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Fever ; Headache ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Incidence ; Knee ; Low Back Pain ; Lower Extremity ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Aged ; Nausea ; Passive Cutaneous Anaphylaxis ; Risk Factors ; Vomiting

PURPOSE: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is usually performed under the general anesthesia (GA). Aim of the study is to investigate the availability, safety and side effects of combined spinal/epidural anesthesia (CSEA) and comparison it with GA for LC. METHODS: Forty-nine patients who have a LC plan were included into the study. The patients were randomly divided into GA (n = 25) and CSEA (n = 24) groups. Intraoperative and postoperative adverse events, postoperative pain levels were compared between groups. RESULTS: Anesthesia procedures and surgeries for all patients were successfully completed. After the organization of pneumoperitoneum in CSEA group, 3 patients suffered from shoulder pain (12.5%) and 4 patients suffered from abdominal discomfort (16.6%). All these complaints were recovered with IV fentanyl administration. Only 1 patient developed hypotension which is recovered with fluid replacement and no need to use vasopressor treatment. Postoperative shoulder pain was significantly less observed in CSEA group (25% vs. 60%). Incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) was less observed in CSEA group but not statistically significant (4.2% vs. 20%). In the group of CSEA, 3 patients suffered from urinary retention (12.5%) and 2 patients suffered from spinal headache (8.3%). All postoperative pain parameters except 6th hour, were less observed in CSEA group, less VAS scores and less need to analgesic treatment in CSEA group comparing with GA group. CONCLUSION: CSEA can be used safely for laparoscopic cholecystectomies. Less postoperative surgical field pain, shoulder pain and PONV are the advantages of CSEA compared to GA.
Anesthesia* ; Anesthesia, Epidural ; Anesthesia, General ; Anesthesia, Spinal ; Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic* ; Fentanyl ; Headache ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Incidence ; Pain, Postoperative ; Pneumoperitoneum ; Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting ; Prospective Studies* ; Shoulder Pain ; Urinary Retention

PURPOSE: Laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) is routinely performed under general, not regional anesthesia. This study assessed the feasibility, efficacy, and side effects of combined spinal-epidural anesthesia (CSEA) in LA. METHODS: Thirty-three American Society of Anesthesiologist (ASA) physical status classification grade I patients underwent LA under CSEA. CSEA was performed using the needle-through-needle technique at the L₃–L₄ interspace. Preoperative and postoperative adverse events related to CSEA, patient satisfaction, and postoperative pain levels were recorded. RESULTS: LA under CSEA was performed successfully in 33 patients (84.6%). Peroperatively, right shoulder pain was observed in 8 patients (24.1%), abdominal discomfort in 6 (18.2%), anxiety in 5 (15.2%), hypotension in 2 (6.1%) and nausea-vomiting in 1 (3%). In the first 24 hours after LA, headache, urinary retention, right shoulder pain, and postoperative nausea/vomiting (PONV) occurred in 18.1%, 12.1%, 9.1%, and 0% of patients, respectively. In the first 6 hours postoperation, no patients had operation-site pain that required analgesic treatment. Thirty-one patients (94%) evaluated their satisfaction with the procedure as good or moderate. CONCLUSION: CSEA is an efficient and suitable anesthesia technique in LA for ASA physical status classification grade I healthy patients. CSEA is associated with good postoperative pain control and the absence of PONV and intubation-associated complications.
Anesthesia* ; Anesthesia, Conduction ; Anesthesia, Epidural ; Anesthesia, Spinal ; Anxiety ; Appendectomy* ; Appendicitis ; Classification ; Feasibility Studies* ; Headache ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Laparoscopy ; Pain, Postoperative ; Patient Satisfaction ; Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting ; Prospective Studies* ; Shoulder Pain ; Urinary Retention

BACKGROUND: Valsalva maneuver reduces pain by activating sinoaortic baroreceptor reflex arc. We planned this study to evaluate the role of valsalva in attenuating spinal needle-puncture pain. METHODS: Ninety American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade I and II enrolled patients undergoing elective surgery were randomized into 3 groups of 30 each. Group I (Control): didn't blow; group II (Distraction): patients blew into rubber tube; Group III (Valsalva): blew into sphygmomanometer tube and raise mercury column up to 30 mmHg for at least 20 seconds. During above procedures, spinal puncture was performed with 25-gauge spinal needle. RESULTS: Eighty-two patient data were analyzed. Incidence of spinal puncture pain was reduced to 10% (3 of 27) in Valsalva group as compared to 100% (28 of 28 in control group and 27 of 27 in Distraction group) observed in other two groups (P < 0.05). Severity of lumbar puncture pain as assessed by visual analog scale (0-10; where 0 is no pain and 10 is the worst imaginable pain) presented as Median (Interquartile range) were significantly reduced in the Valsalva group (0.0 [0.0] as compared to other 2 groups 2.0 [0.0] in the Distraction group and 3.0 [0.8] in Control group) (P < 0.05). Regarding time taken by CSF to fill spinal needle hub, there was no difference among the three groups (P > 0.05). None patient of all groups had post dural puncture headache (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Valsalva can be performed routinely in ASA I and II patients undergoing spinal anesthesia as it is safe, painless and non-pharmacological method of pain attenuation.
Anesthesia, Spinal* ; Baroreflex ; Humans ; Incidence ; Needles ; Post-Dural Puncture Headache ; Punctures* ; Rubber ; Skin* ; Sphygmomanometers ; Spinal Puncture ; Valsalva Maneuver* ; Visual Analog Scale

We report a healthy patient with postpartum headache and neck stiffness which were diagnosed as symptoms of pseudoaneurysm of vertebral artery. She had received a Cesarean section under the spinal anesthesia, and complaint of headache and neck stiffness. Epidural blood patches were done twice, but symptoms persisted. Eight days later, she experienced sensory disturbance and emergent laminectomy was done. When persistent postpartum headache occurs after epidural blood patch, more precise differential diagnosis should be made and considering other possible pathologies.
Anesthesia, Spinal ; Aneurysm, False ; Blood Patch, Epidural* ; Cesarean Section ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Headache ; Hematoma, Subdural, Spinal* ; Humans ; Laminectomy ; Neck ; Pathology ; Post-Dural Puncture Headache ; Postpartum Period* ; Pregnancy ; Vertebral Artery

Postdural punctural headache (PDPH) following spinal anesthesia is due to intracranial hypotension caused by cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage, and it is occasionally accompanied by an intracranial hematoma. To the best of our knowledge, an intracranial chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) presenting with an intractable headache after a cervical epidural steroid injection (ESI) has not been reported. A 39-year-old woman without any history of trauma underwent a cervical ESI for a herniated nucleus pulposus at the C5-6 level. One month later, she presented with a severe headache that was not relieved by analgesic medication, which changed in character from being positional to non-positional during the preceding month. Brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed a CSDH along the left convexity. Emergency burr-hole drainage was performed and the headache abated. This report indicates that an intracranial CSDH should be considered a possible complication after ESI. In addition, the event of an intractable and changing PDPH after ESI suggests further evaluation for diagnosis of an intracranial hematoma.
Adult ; Anesthesia, Spinal ; Brain ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Diagnosis ; Drainage ; Emergencies ; Female ; Headache ; Headache Disorders* ; Hematoma ; Hematoma, Subdural, Chronic* ; Humans ; Intracranial Hypotension ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Spinal anesthesia is widely used for many obstetric, gynecological, orthopedic, and urological operations. Subdural hematomas may occur after trauma and are associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. Postdural puncture headache (PDPH) is a benign condition and the most frequent complication of spinal anesthesia. The high rate of headache after spinal anesthesia may mask or delay the diagnosis of subdural hematoma. The true incidence of postdural puncture subdural hematoma (PDPSH) is unknown because most affected patients are probably managed without investigation. Therefore, the true incidence of PDPSH may be greater than suggested by previous reports. The differentiation of headache associated with subdural hematoma from PDPH is crucial. We herein report two cases of bilateral subdural hematoma after epidural anesthesia and emphasize the importance of suspicion for PDPSH and careful evaluation of patients with headache after spinal anesthesia.
Anesthesia, Epidural ; Anesthesia, Spinal ; Diagnosis ; Headache ; Hematoma, Subdural* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Masks ; Mortality ; Orthopedics ; Post-Dural Puncture Headache* ; Punctures*

No abstract available.
Anesthesia, Spinal* ; Arachnoid* ; Headache* ; Humans ; Incidental Findings*

No abstract available.
Anesthesia, Spinal* ; Arachnoid* ; Headache* ; Humans ; Incidental Findings*