Treatment of post-spinal headache with epidural dextran 40

ABSTRACT

The present study was done on 40 patients suffering from post-spinal headache after low and mid spinal anesthesia. Patients were divided into two groups; in one group [20 patients], Dextran 40 was epidurally injected as [2 ml per every 10 cm of the subject's height], in the second group [20 patients], Aspegic was given intravenously as [25 mg/kg body weight]. Assessment of headache was studied subjectively by questionnaire and patients' verbal scores and objectively by facial expression, bodily movement and cooperation scores. From this study, it was found that epidural Dextran 40 is effective in alleviating post-spinal headache, as Aspegic, but Dextran 40 showed a more prolonged duration of action [5 hours] without any side effects