Abstract

AVELLANOSA, J. et al. Horner´s sydrome and ipsilateral brachial plexus block during an epidural analgesia labour procedure. Rev. Soc. Esp. Dolor [online]. 2006, vol.13, n.7, pp.481-484. ISSN 1134-8046.

Horner´s syndrome is an uncommon side effect after epidural analgesia which occurs more frecuently in pregnant women due to physiological and anatomical changes; however, it has a low incidence, and the association with ipsilateral brachial plexus block has only been published twice before. We report the case of a 23-year-old woman who required epidural analgesia for labor. After verifying correct placement of the catheter, an initial dose of 8 ml of ropivacaine 0,2% with 50 μg of fentanyl was injected. A continuous infusion of ropivacaine 0,125% with fentanyl 1,2 μg/ml was started at 10 mg/h. Four hours after the initial dose, the patient achieves complete cervical dilation and goes on to the operating room for a delivery test, receiving a new dose of 10 ml of ropivacaine 0,5% with 50 μg of fentanyl. Fifteen minutes later, the patient reported right-sided arm, chest and hemiface numbness with paresthesias. Later on, the physical examination revealed a sensory and motor blockade in the lower extremities associating right-sided ptosis, miosis, facial flush, dry skin and loss of strength on the upper right-sided extremity. The diagnose was a unilateral Horner´s syndrome with ipsilateral brachial plexus block. It spontaneously resolved over the next three hours.

Keywords : epidural analgesia; obstetric anesthesia; ipsilateral brachial plexus block; Horner´s syndrome.

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