A paraspinal abscess following spinal anaesthesia for caesarean section and patient-controlled epidural analgesia for postoperative pain

We present a rare case in which a healthy parturient developed a paraspinal abscess after spinal anaesthesia for caesarean section and epidural analgesia for postoperative pain management. The catheter was in situ for 58 h. Backache was the initial and major symptom. A concealed course with no neuro...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of obstetric anesthesia 2005-07, Vol.14 (3), p.252-255
Main Authors: Huang, Y.Y., Zuo, Z., Yuan, H.B., Tsou, M.Y., Chen, M.T., Tsai, S.K.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abscess - etiology
Abscess - pathology
Adult
Analgesia, Epidural
Analgesia, Patient-Controlled
Anesthesia, Obstetrical
Anesthesia, Spinal
Cesarean Section
Drainage
Epidural analgesia
Female
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Obstetric
Pain, Postoperative - complications
Pain, Postoperative - drug therapy
Paraspinal abscess
Pregnancy
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Summary:We present a rare case in which a healthy parturient developed a paraspinal abscess after spinal anaesthesia for caesarean section and epidural analgesia for postoperative pain management. The catheter was in situ for 58 h. Backache was the initial and major symptom. A concealed course with no neurological deficit resulted in a delayed diagnosis and treatment in this case. The infection was not diagnosed until 20 days after the removal of the epidural catheter when there was a purulent discharge from the epidural puncture site. Surgical drainage was required. Anaesthesiologists should be aware that serious epidural analgesia-related infections can happen in extra spinal-epidural spaces. Vigilance for these infections, especially in postpartum patients with backache, is needed.
ISSN:0959-289X
1532-3374
DOI:10.1016/j.ijoa.2005.03.001