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The incidence of transient radicular irritation after spinal anesthesia in obstetric patients

1999; BMJ; Volume: 24; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/s1098-7339(99)90166-9

1532-8651

Cynthia A. Wong, Paul Slavenas,

Spine and Intervertebral Disc Pathology

Transient radicular irritation (TRI) has been described after spinal anesthesia, particularly with 5% hyperbaric spinal lidocaine. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of TRI in obstetric patients.All obstetric patients undergoing spinal anesthesia during a 9-month period were enrolled in the study (n = 303). Details of the anesthetic technique were recorded at the time of anesthesia. A blinded anesthesia nurse contacted each patient on postoperative day 2 and asked about symptoms of TRI.Most patients received either intrathecal hyperbaric bupivacaine 0.75 % (n = 232) or lidocaine 5 % (n = 67) through pencil-point needles. Cerebrospinal fluid was used to dilute the spinal lidocaine in 63% of patients. Patients receiving bupivacaine were more often in the supine position, underwent significantly longer procedures, and more often received intrathecal opioid. The incidence of TRI after lidocaine spinal anesthesia was 0% (95% confidence interval 0-4.5%).The incidence of TRI after spinal lidocaine anesthesia in the obstetric population is low.