Korean J Anesthesiol.  1979 Mar;12(1):105-109.

Multiple Epidural Hematoma as a Complication of Continuous Epidural Anesthesia

• Kim JM
• Jung JG

Abstract

Epidural anesthesia is widely practiced for lower abdominal operation and especially for delivery in many hospitals and complications are minimal compared with spinal anesthesia. Rarely these complications are extremely serious like hemiplegia which may not recover even though laminectomy and decompression of spinal cord are performed. This may be followed by epidural hematoma and abscess. Some authors have recommended that epidural anesthesia not be used for patients with blood dyscrasia or under treatment with anticoagulant, In an example a 53 year old man with a gallbladder disorder developed paraplegia after continuous epidural anesthesia. Thereafter total laminectomy (T1~L4) with decompression was done within 24 hours. The operation was successful and he recovered satisfactory without any sequelae.

MeSH Terms

Abscess
Anesthesia, Epidural*
Anesthesia, Spinal
Decompression
Gallbladder
Hematoma*
Hemiplegia
Humans
Laminectomy
Middle Aged
Paraplegia
Spinal Cord