Total Spinal Anesthesia as a Complication of Epidural Nerve Block: A case report / 대한마취과학회지

Epidural nerve block is the most widely practiced procedure in the pain clinic. Accidental dural puncture during epidural nerve block also has been associated with postdural puncture headache and total spinal anesthesia. Especially, total spinal anesthesia is the most serious complication of epidural nerve block and can lead to a life threatening conditions. We have experienced two cases in whom total spinal anesthesia occurred during epidural nerve block for neck and lower back pain control. Immediately after epidural nerve block, the patients became unresponsive and apneic with loss of muscle tone in all extremity. We performed resuscitations and about 3 hours later the patients recovered completely without any complication.