PREVALENCE AND MANAGEMENT ASPECTS OF SPINAL POST-ANESTHESIA HEADACHE
Abstract:
Regional anesthesia is to block nociceptive transmission in clearly defined territories, using
local anesthetic, depending on the specific fibers to be blocked and on the characteristics of the
patient. Spinal post-anesthesia headache is a common complication of this procedure being
determined by the loss of CSF in the injection site. If it persists, it can become annoying, even
debilitating. Patient age and gender influence the prevalence of lumbar postpuncture headache in
that it is more common in young than in the elderly and in women than in men. In terms of timing, in
most cases, headaches are installed 24 hours postoperatively. The main pharmacological classes used
to control spinal post-anesthesia headache are painkillers, anti-inflammatory and corticosteroids.
When the headache increases in intensity and duration, and it is refractory to drug therapy, we
appeal to the blood patch method. It is usually reduced by the administration of pain relievers, which
means it can be treated fairly easily.
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