A Symptomatic Pneumocephalus as a Complication of Lumbar Epidural Anaesthesia
  • Ana Filipa Pires
    Serviço de Medicina Interna, Hospital Padre Américo, Centro Hospitalar Tâmega e Sousa, Penafiel, Portugal
  • Teresa Martins Mendes
    Serviço de Medicina Interna, Hospital Padre Américo, Centro Hospitalar Tâmega e Sousa, Penafiel, Portugal
  • Ana Areia Reis
    Serviço de Medicina Interna, Hospital Padre Américo, Centro Hospitalar Tâmega e Sousa, Penafiel, Portugal
  • Ana Ferreira Pacheco
    Serviço de Medicina Interna, Hospital Padre Américo, Centro Hospitalar Tâmega e Sousa, Penafiel, Portugal
  • Vítor Fagundes
    Serviço de Medicina Interna, Hospital Padre Américo, Centro Hospitalar Tâmega e Sousa, Penafiel, Portugal
  • Mari Mesquita
    Serviço de Medicina Interna, Hospital Padre Américo, Centro Hospitalar Tâmega e Sousa, Penafiel, Portugal

Keywords

Pneumocephalus, lumbar epidural anaesthesia, post-dural puncture headache

Abstract

Introduction: Lumbar epidural anaesthesia is a commonly used technique for analgesia during labour. One of the rare complications of this technique is pneumocephalus.
Case description: We report the case of a 35-year-old female admitted to the Emergency Department with severe headache associated with fast head movements. Five days previously she had a eutocic delivery and lumbar epidural anaesthesia was performed. A brain computed tomography (CT) scan showed pneumocephalus and she was admitted to the hospital ward. A brain CT scan on the fourth day of hospitalization showed resolution of ventricular pneumocephalus.
Discussion: The most frequently occurring symptom with pneumocephalus is headache associated with fast brain motion resulting from air injection and meningeal irritation. When there is clinical suspicion of pneumocephalus, a brain CT scan should be performed for the diagnosis.

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    Published: 2020-01-22
    Issue: 2020: Vol 7 No 2 (view)

    How to cite:
    1.
    Pires AF, Mendes TM, Reis AA, Pacheco AF, Fagundes V, Mesquita M. A Symptomatic Pneumocephalus as a Complication of Lumbar Epidural Anaesthesia. EJCRIM 2020;7 doi:10.12890/2020_001425.