Acute epidural haematoma following epidural steroid injection in a patient with spinal stenosis.

Abstract

Extradural haematoma is a rare but known complication of neuraxial procedures. Although the literature quotes an incidence of 1:150,000 and 1:220,000 after epidural and spinal procedures, respectively, there is only a limited number of case reports described in pain practice. This case report describes an unusual occurrence of thoracic extradural haematoma following a lumbar epidural steroid injection. An entirely unique feature was its occurrence at a level distant to the site of injection, which has not been reported previously unless associated with catheterisation. We would like to highlight this report as it raises several pertinent and challenging questions; both for regional anaesthesia and pain practice.