Post-dural-puncture headache

Post-dural puncture headache (PDPH) is a potential complication of neuraxial anesthesia techniques.

Risk Factors

The incidence of developing PDPH following accidental dural puncture is affected by several patient variables:

• Age - those < 40 years old are more susceptible
• Gender - females are more susceptible than males
• Weight - morbid obesity appears to decrease the incidence
• Pregnancy - increases incidence
• Prior history (of PDPH) - increases incidence

Additionally, incidence decreases with higher needle gauge, increased provider experience, and use of saline (rather than air) for loss of resistance during neuraxial anesthesia techniques.