Ultrasound-Guided Bilateral Greater Occipital Nerve Block for the Treatment of Postdural Puncture Headache.

Abstract

Treatment of postdural puncture headaches involves oral or intravenous (IV) fluid or caffeine-containing analgesics, micro-catheterization of spinal space, epidural administration of blood obtained from the patient, or epidural blood patch and fiberoptic imaging-guided epidural interventional techniques. Epidural blood patch is, to date, the most effective treatment, but it is an invasive procedure that may result in serious complications. Spinal anaesthesia was planned for a 22 year old male patient diagnosed with inguinal hernia and for a 42 year old female patient diagnosed with venous stasis. On the first post-operative day, the patients with a postdural puncture headache received conservative medical treatment. As medical treatment was ineffective, they received ultrasound-guided greater bilateral occipital nerve block. In this case report, the effect of the ultrasound-guided bilateral greater occipital nerve block on postdural puncture headache is discussed.