J Korean Pain Soc.  1995 Nov;8(2):383-385.

Meningitis Occurred during Continuous Lumbar Epidural Block: A case report

• Lee SY
• Chae JH
• Choi BC
• Chun TW
• Kim JH
• Kim C

Abstract

Postpuncture headache is the most common complication of epidural block, others include abscission of the tip of catheter, epidural abscess and subarachnoid infection, etc. A 69-year-old female patient visited the Neuro-Pain Clinic of Seran General Hospital for treatment of lower back pain and both sciatica. She received continuous epidural block, psoas compartment block, lumbar facet joint block and lumbar facet thermocoagulation. During the epidural block procedure the dura was accidently punctured and auto-logous blood patch was performed. Three days later, she manifested fever, nausea, vomiting, mild neck stiffness and mental deterioration. Meningitis was suspected as the cause of these signs. The CSF study reported: protein 400mg/dl, sugar 14mg/dl, WBC 468/mm'. She was recovered from the meningitis after adequate antibiotic therapy.

Keyword

Epidural block; Meningitis

MeSH Terms

Aged
Catheters
Electrocoagulation
Epidural Abscess
Female
Fever
Headache
Hospitals, General
Humans
Low Back Pain
Meningitis*
Nausea
Neck
Sciatica
Vomiting
Zygapophyseal Joint