Effect Of Spinal Needle Gauge Size on Post Dural Puncture Headache

Abstract

Background: A typical side effect of spinal anesthesia is post-dural puncture headache (PDPH), which is brought on by cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaking from the site of the dural puncture. The brain and meninges sag as a result of this leaking, which lowers intracranial pressure and stretches pain-sensitive tissues. PDPH usually manifests as a postural headache 24 to 48 hours after the surgery, frequently accompanied by nausea, stiff neck, and photophobia. Objective(s): The study is to assess how the size of the spinal needle gauge affects the incidence of PDPH. In particular, it investigates the connection between 25G and 27G spinal needles in pregnant patients receiving spinal anesthesia who are between the ages of 20 and 35. Methodology: Participants' data was gathered at one particular moment using a descriptive crosssectional study method. The study evaluated the correlation between the size of the needle gauge used during spinal anesthesia and the occurrence and severity of PDPH. Results: Results show that, in comparison to a 25G spinal needle, a 27G spinal needle considerably lessens CSF leaking, which lowers the incidence and severity of PDPH. Nevertheless, there were technical issues with the finer 27G needle, like the requirement for several insertion attempts. Conclusion(s): Despite their technical difficulties, the study demonstrates that 27G spinal needles are more effective than 25G needles at reducing PDPH. The findings emphasize how crucial it is to choose the right needle gauge and guarantee skilled technique in order to achieve good spinal anesthesia.

Key words: Spinal anesthesia, Regional anesthesia, Post-dural puncture headache (PDPH), Needle gauge, Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), Epidural anesthesia.