Chronic pain in parturients with an accidental dural puncture: A case-controlled prospective observational study.

Background: We set out to examine incidence of chronic headache and back pain in women with PDPH after accidental dural puncture during labor.

Methods: Chronic headache, backache, and disability were assessed 18-24 months postpartum. Women with PDPH treated with epidural blood patch (PDPH-EBP) were identified and matched with women who had a PDPH without epidural blood patch (PDPH-no EBP), with women with uncomplicated epidural analgesia and with women without epidural analgesia.