Intrathecal catheter after accidental dural puncture in obstetric patients: Safety and effectiveness reducing post-dural puncture headache.

Background: Post-dural puncture headache (PDPH) after an accidental dural puncture (ADP) is a common complication in obstetric analgesia. It has been proposed that inserting an intrathecal catheter (ITC) after an ADP may reduce PDPH incidence and the need for therapeutic epidural blood patch (EBP). Our primary objective was to assess if the insertion of an ITC after an ADP reduces the incidence of PDPH in obstetric patients. Secondary objectives included evaluating EBP requirements and ITC-related complications.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of all obstetric patients with a documented ADP during their labour analgesia between January 2018 to December 2022. Data from the patients in whom an ITC was inserted and those with a repeated epidural were compared.

Results: Over our 5-year study period, 35 cases of ADP were documented. Of these, 16 patients (45.7%) received an ITC for 24 hours, while 19 (54.3%) underwent epidural re-siting. No significant difference was observed in PDPH incidence between ITC and re-sited epidural groups (62.5% vs 68.4%; RR 0.84; P = 0.713), nor in EBP requirement (18.8% vs 31.6%; RR 0.84; P = 0.387). Follow-up duration did not differ significantly between groups and no ITC-related complications were reported within 1 month.

Conclusions: Our findings align with previously reported literature, indicating a trend favoring ITC utilization. In addition to the potential benefit of reducing CPPD incidence, their use is safe and provides quality analgesia with rapid onset.

Irb Number: IIBSP-CEF-2022-146.