Neurological complications of spinal anaesthesia

Abstract

Twenty-four neurological complications attributable to spinal anaesthesia were found in a series of 20,000 consecutive spina anaesthetics, an over-all incidence of 0.12 per cent. Of these 24, nine were persistent headaches lasting one week or longer with complete recovery. In three of these cases, the patients probably should not have been subjected to spinal anaesthesia because they were moribund or nearly so prior to the adninistration of the anaesthetic and an error of judgment rather than an indictment of the technique should be blamed. Three cases of meningitis with two recoveries were also included because the spinal technique cannot be ruled out a the introducing factor in causing the meningitis, although there is reasonable doubt as to whether this was actually the case. Two cases of chronic backach were the remaining complications. It is quite interesting that of the it netrological conditions sought in our study, only the above five occurred, There were no incidences of transverse myelitis, radiculitis, peripheral nerve lesions, foot drop, neuritides, paralyses, muscular weakness, deafness, cranial nerve lesions, persistent lower bowel and bladder dysfunction, or cauda equina syndome observed. © 1961 Canadian Anesthesiologists.