Abstract

SEGADO JIMENEZ, M. I. et al. Peripheral nerve injury in obstetric anestesia: A description of four cases. Rev. Soc. Esp. Dolor [online]. 2011, vol.18, n.3, pp.171-175. ISSN 1134-8046.

A neuroaxial approach is of choice for the management of pain in obstetrics but is not exempt of risks. Postpartum peripheral neuropathy may occur because of various medical, surgical, and anesthetic conditions, hence we should have them in mind in order to recognize them and treat them early enough to prevent their deffault attribution to the anesthetic technique. We report four cases diagnosed during the peripartum - 2 paresthetic meralgias, 1 femoral neuropathy, and 1 lumbosciatalgia, of which only the lumbosciatalgia could be partly attributed to the anesthetic technique. Once the diagnosis was confirmed a conservative therapy was initiated that solved ad integrum all neuropathies, except for the lumbosciatalgia episode, within seven days. The low incidence of peripheral neuropathy following neuroaxial techniques in obstetrics may be higher than diagnosed. Adequate history taking before anesthesia is crucial, as is an understanding of the various pathophysiological mechanisms that may trigger peripheral neuropathy.

Keywords : Epidural analgesia; Peripheral nerve injury; Paresthetic meralgia; Childbirth; Instrumented delivery; Cesarean section.

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