Drug-Induced Aseptic Meningitis Following Spinal Anesthesia
  • Ricardo Paquete Oliveira
    Serviço de Medicina IV, Hospital Prof. Doutor Fernando Fonseca, Amadora, Portugal
  • Mafalda Teixeira
    Serviço de Medicina IV, Hospital Prof. Doutor Fernando Fonseca, Amadora, Portugal
  • Sofia Cochito
    Departamento de Pediatria, Hospital de Santa Maria, Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Norte, EPE Clínica Universitária de Pediatria, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa. Lisboa, Portugal
  • Ana Furtado
    Serviço de Medicina IV, Hospital Prof. Doutor Fernando Fonseca, Amadora, Portugal
  • Bruno Grima
    Serviço de Medicina IV, Hospital Prof. Doutor Fernando Fonseca, Amadora, Portugal
  • José Delgado Alves
    Serviço de Medicina IV, Hospital Prof. Doutor Fernando Fonseca, Amadora, Portugal

Keywords

Aseptic meningitis, drug-induced aseptic meningitis, ropivacaine, bupivacaine

Abstract

Meningitis is a very uncommon complication of spinal anesthesia, and drug-induced aseptic meningitis (DIAM) is even rarer. We present two cases of DIAM following spinal anesthesia with bupivacaine and ropivacaine, respectively. The patients presented shortly after the procedure with typical meningitis symptoms. Since CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) analysis could not initially exclude bacterial meningitis, they were started on empirical antibiotics.
CSF was subsequently found to be negative for viruses and bacteria in both cases, and antibiotics were promptly stopped. Both patients improved rapidly and without neurological sequelae. While it remains a diagnosis of exclusion, it is important to be aware of DIAM as recognition of the condition can lead to shorter admission times and avoid unnecessary use of antibiotics.

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    Published: 2019-12-31
    Issue: 2020: Vol 7 No 1 (view)

    How to cite:
    1.
    Oliveira RP, Teixeira M, Cochito S, Furtado A, Grima B, Alves JD. Drug-Induced Aseptic Meningitis Following Spinal Anesthesia. EJCRIM 2019;7 doi:10.12890/2019_001334.

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