Neurologic complications of 603 consecutive continuous spinal anesthetics using macrocatheter and microcatheter techniques. Perioperative Outcomes Group.

Abstract

Recent case reports of cauda equina syndrome after continuous spinal anesthesia have led to a reevaluation of the indications and applications of this regional anesthetic technique. However, few large studies have formally investigated the frequency of neurologic complications using macro- and microcatheter (smaller than 24 gauge) techniques. This retrospective review examines 603 continuous spinal anesthetics, including 127 administered through a 28-gauge microcatheter, performed between June 1987 and May 1992. The surgical procedure was orthopedic in 397 of 476 (83.4%) macrocatheter patients. All microcatheter patients were parturients. Three patients reported pain (persistent paresthesia) postoperatively. In two patients, the symptoms resolved in 4 days; the other patient was discharged 8 days postoperatively with residual foot pain. There was also one patient with aseptic meningitis and one patient with a sensory cauda equina syndrome (still present after 15 mo). There were 58 (9.6%) patients with a postdural puncture headache (PDPH), including 42 of 127 (33.1%) patients in the microcatheter group. An epidural blood patch was performed in 41 (6.8%) patients. The frequency of neurologic complications, excluding PDPH, is similar to those in published reviews. However, PDPH in microcatheter patients is more frequent than previously reported.