Korean J Anesthesiol.  2007 Aug;53(2):262-265. 10.4097/kjae.2007.53.2.262.

Epidural Analgesia in the Parturient with Spinal Cord Injury: A case report

• Lim KJ
• Park KS
• Do SH
• Lee YS

• KMID: 2243389
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4097/kjae.2007.53.2.262

Abstract

Autonomic dysreflexia is a syndrome of uninhibited sympathetic spinal reflexes in response to stimuli below the level of injury in the patients with high spinal lesions. During labor, it can cause uteroplacental vasoconstriction resulting in fetal distress or devastating maternal complications including retinal hemorrhage, cerebrovascular accident and hypertensive encephalopathy. Neuraxial blockade has proven to be an effective method to attenuate or prevent it. We present a case detailing the use of epidural analgesia in managing the delivery of a quadriplegic parturient with a history of autonomic dysreflexia.

Keyword

autonomic dysreflexia; epidural analgesia; labor analgesia; spinal cord injury

MeSH Terms

Analgesia, Epidural*
Autonomic Dysreflexia
Fetal Distress
Humans
Hypertensive Encephalopathy
Reflex
Retinal Hemorrhage
Spinal Cord Injuries*
Spinal Cord*
Stroke
Vasoconstriction