EVALUATION OF SPHENO-PALATINE BLOCK FOR THE TREATMENT OF POST-DURAL PUNCTURE HEADACHE FOLLOWING SPINAL ANAESTHESIA: A RANDOMIZED STUDY

Dr. Anjali Kochhar, *Dr. Samiksha Khanooja, Dr. Irshad Yousuf, Dr. Kharat Mohammed Bhat and Dr. Mudassir Bhat

ABSTRACT

Background: PDPH(post dural puncture headache) is one of the most distressing complication of dural puncture. Various modalities of treatment include conservative management and epidural blood patch. Newer modalities like sphenopalatine block are being studied for its treatment. Objectives: To compare the effects of combined sphenopalatine block and conservative treatment with conservative treatment alone in the management of post-dural puncture headache. Method: A randomized study was done by dividing patients into two groups having 12 patients in each group. VAS score at different time intervals,associated symptoms and readiness to discharge were studied. Results: VAS scores were significantly lower in the group receiving sphenopalatine block along with conservative management compared to conservative treatment alone. This group patients had more readiness to get discharged after 72 hrs. Conclusion: Sphenopalatine block is an effective method of treating PDPH with good success rate as compared to conservative treatment.

Keywords: post dural puncture headache, sphenopalatine block, dural puncture, VAS score, spinal anaesthesia.