[Transient neurologic symptoms after spinal anesthesia with 4% hyperbaric mepivacaine]

This is a case report of transient neurologic symptoms (TNS) after spinal anesthesia with 4% hyperbaric mepivacaine,which have not been reported before. The patient was a 44-year-old man with a meniscus lesion who received spinal anesthesia with 80 mg 4% mepivacaine while undergoing knee arthroscopy. A L3-L4 mid-line approach was used with a 26-gauge Quincke needle and a 21-gauge introducer. The local anaesthetic was injected over approximately 30 s with the aperture of the Quincke needle in a cephalad direction. A transient pain syndrome was observed 4 h after spinal anesthesia, which included symmetric pain and/or dysesthesia in the buttocks and posterior thighs appearing 4 h after recovery from the spinal anesthesia and had a duration of 2 days. The patient stated that the pain radiated through the hips, buttocks, and posterior thighs and extended past the buttocks and lower legs. The pain was described as strong and aching,occasionally decreasing when walking around. It responded well to NSAID and resolved spontaneously within 3 days. No other neurologic symptoms or signs were noted.