Headache and seizures after cervical epidural injection in a patient undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting.

ABSTRACT

Epidural analgesia is widely used in cardiothoracic surgery. Most of the complications associated with epidural analgesia are related to the insertion techniques of epidural catheter. A 68-year-old obese patient posted for coronary artery bypass grafting surgery developed headache followed by seizures after insertion of the thoracic epidural catheter. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed air in the basal cisterns and in the left frontal region. The patient was managed conservatively and the symptoms subsided after 24 h. Later, the patient underwent coronary angioplasty.