J Korean Pain Soc.  1993 Nov;6(2):265-269.

Accidental Subdural Block Developed during Epidural Anesthesia

• Cheun JK
• Kim AR
• Lee HR

Abstract

Subdural block is a rare but well recognized complication of epidural anesthesia. The placement of local anesthetics into the subdural space can lead to potentially lifethreatening conditions. A healthy 46-year-old women underwent total abdominal hysterectomy under continuous lumber epidural anesthesia. The technical procedure for continuous epidural catheterization went smoothly without a single problem. However, signs of high epidural block such as apnea, cranial nerve paralysis and pupil dilatation developed gradually, about 20 minutes after the epidural injection of 2% lidocaine RO ml through the epidural catheter. Such extensive segmental block can only be explained as the result of injection into subdural space even if it was not confirmed radiologically.

Keyword

Epidural anesthesia; Complication; Subdural block

MeSH Terms

Anesthesia, Epidural*
Anesthetics, Local
Apnea
Catheterization
Catheters
Cranial Nerves
Dilatation
Female
Humans
Hysterectomy
Injections, Epidural
Lidocaine
Middle Aged
Paralysis
Pupil
Subdural Space
Anesthetics, Local
Lidocaine