The incidence of post dural puncture headache after spinal anaesthesia for caesarean section with a pencilpoint needle whitacre 25 gauge

Abstract

Spinal anaesthesia (SA) is known to provide a more profound and reliable blockade compared with that of epidural anaesthesia. It is also unfortunately associated with a high incidence of post dural puncture headache (PDPH), especially in young pregnant patients.l In the last few years studies concerning the use of pencilpoint needles for SA in young patients have shown a lower and more acceptable incidence of PDPH in obstetric as well as in ordinary and orthopaedic surgery.‘-3 We consider severe PDPH most unpleasant to a mother taking care of her baby. Therefore to ensure quality control we recorded the incidence of this side-effect in women, to whom we offered SA for caesarean section (Cs). We used a Whitacre pencilpoint needle 25 gauge, VYGON. The use of collected data for this publication was approved by the local Ethics Committee.