Pneumocephalus in Postpartum a Complication of Epidural Anesthesia

Abstract

Introduction: Regional anesthesia techniques have been used for many years and there are surgeries where they are the ones of choice due to the proven benefits they provide, as is the case with anesthesia forces is a section, which is not free of complications, but the neurological ones are the ones. Most feared, due to the complexity of the situation and the possible outcomes they could entail.

Objective: To describe the evolution of a postpartum patient who was diagnosed with Pneumocephalus after epidural anesthesia.

Clinical case: Postpartum patient with a history of migraine headache, which after undergoing epidural anesthesia, began with light to moderate headache that was initially relieved with analgesics, then had a generalized tonic-clonic seizure that required intubation and transfer to the intensive therapy. Using computed axial tomography, small Pneumocephalus was detected in the parietal region in addition to signs of cerebral edema. The condition progressed satisfactorily. Within hours, the patient was transferred to the ward where she was reunited with her baby and day slater she was discharged without squeals.

Conclusions: Pneumocephalus as a complication of epidural anesthesia in pregnant patients generally does not have great clinical repercussions and disappears only in a period of no more than 72 hours, but sometime sit can occur as a serious complication that can lead to permanent neurological damage and even death, death.