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Complications Associated with Spinal Anesthesia

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Complications of Regional Anesthesia

Abstract

Spinal anesthesia celebrated its first centennial in 1998 and still is one of the center-pieces of modern regional anesthesia. August Bier from Germany was the first to publish a report of the first successful spinal anesthesia with cocaine on his friend and assistant Hildebrandt. Since then, spinal anesthesia has gained worldwide popularity and an impressive safety record. However, the history of complications of spinal anesthesia is as old as the method itself.1 The very first spinal anesthetics were followed by postdural puncture headaches (PDPHs) as Bier and Hildebrandt both developed a headache after their experiment that, at least with Bier himself, was posture related. The wine and cigars consumed during the celebration of a successful experiment may have augmented the development of headache.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland

    Pekka Tarkkila MD, PhD (Associate Professor, Head)

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  1. Pekka Tarkkila MD, PhD
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2G3, Canada

    Brendan T. Finucane MB, BCh, BAO, FRCA, FRCPC (Professor) (Professor)

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Tarkkila, P. (2007). Complications Associated with Spinal Anesthesia. In: Finucane, B.T. (eds) Complications of Regional Anesthesia. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-68904-3_9

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