Publication:

A case of post dural puncture headache following labour epidural analgesia, managed by sphenopalatine ganglion block

Postpartum headache is a common complaint faced by most obstetricians, with over 39% of women having headache in the first postpartum week. With the increasing use of labour epidural analgesia, the incidence of postdural puncture headache (PDPH) due to inadvertent dural puncture is 0.5-1%. Most treatment modalities relieve the symptoms of PDPH by minimizing compensatory cerebral vasodilatation, or by sealing the dural puncture site. Treatment options include, conservative, pharmacological, and the gold standard, epidural blood patch (EBP). EBP is invasive and may result in rare however, severe complications. Sphenopalatine ganglion block (SPGB) has been proposed as a non-invasive intervention for PDPH, which has minimal adverse effects, which can be performed bedside. Here we are reporting a case of PDPH, following labour epidural analgesia which was effectively managed by a sphenopalatine block.