INTRODUCTION
An unpleasant experience for both the patient and the anesthetist,
post-dural puncture headache (PDPH) is a complication of spinal
anesthesia or lumbar puncture. It is believed to be caused by cerebral
vasodilation, which is an indirect consequence of low cerebrospinal
fluid (CSF) pressure, or meningeal traction linked to low CSF
pressure.1 PDPH incidence varies, although it
is generally thought to be 36% or more after lumbar puncture, 0%-10%
after spinal anesthesia, and 81% after an unintentional dural puncture
during epidural insertion.2, 3 Although PDPH
typically resolves on its own, it can make it difficult for mothers to
care for their infants and lengthen hospital stays. Serious side effects
such as subdural hematoma, convulsions, sagittal sinus thrombosis, and
cranial nerve palsies are more infrequently linked to PDPH.