Objectives:

To know the incidence of post-dural puncture headaches (CPPD) in spinal anesthesia for caesarean section and recognized risk factors. Effectiveness of medical treatment and need for an epidural blood patch

Methodology:

Prospective, descriptive, postoperative follow-up for 72 hours of 914 pregnant women who received spinal anesthesia for cesarean section, Women ’s Hospital during one year study. Data recorded by acting anesthesiologist monitoring by a resident. CPPD to diagnose, treatment was installed according to protocol.

Results:

CPPD incidence was 2.6 cases / 100 patients, 24 in the study population. 66.7% appeared at 24 hours; 16.7% at 48 hours. 54.2% improved within 24 hours, none required blood patch. 86.3% of punctures were 25G tip pen, 11.2% with 27G tip pen, 23 cases of CPPD for the first and 1 case for the second, finding no statistical association (p = 0.759). 76.6% were single puncture, 15.2% two punctures, 7% more than two. 80.7% cesarean urgency, 65.2% in daytime. 42% made by anesthesiologists, 54% by residents. 8.6% had a history of headache and 2.7% history of CPPD; statistical association was found between the first and current CPPD (p = 0.001) and between the second and the presence of CPPD (p = 0.004).

Conclusions:

We obtained a CPPD incidence of 2.6%, consistent with data from the literature; Most appeared within 24 hours and all improved with medical treatment. Patients with headache and previous PDCH presented RR 5.8 and 5.4 respectively (95% CI), and found no association with other risk factors.