Post-dural puncture headache after spinal anaesthesia for caesarean section

Objective: To find out the frequency and severity of post-dural puncture headache [PDPH] after spinal anaesthesia for caesarean section using 25G Quincke spinal needle

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Study design: Descriptive case series

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Place and duration of study: Department of Anaesthesiology, Surgical Intensive Care and Pain Management, Civil Hospital Karachi, Dow University of Health Sciences Karachi, from July 2010 to June 2011

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Methodology: Pregnant women, aged 18 to 40 year, ASA I and II, presenting for elective or emergency caesarean deliveries under spinal anaesthesia were included. Spinal anaesthesia was performed with standardized technique using 25G Quincke spinal needle. Patients were followed for three consecutive days postoperatively for the frequency and severity of postdural puncture headache

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Results: Out of four hundred and fifty parturient, 337 underwent emergency operations while 113 operated electively. In more than 93% cases spinal anaesthesia was instituted in first attempt. Thirty nine out of 450 patients [8.7%] developed post-dural puncture headache after spinal anaesthesia for caesarean section with 25G Quincke spinal needle. Thirty one had mild headache while eight parturient developed moderate headache

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Conclusion: The frequency of post-dural puncture headache was in conformity to what has been reported in literature using 25G Quincke spinal needle