[Abducens paresis, a rare complication to spinal analgesia]

A case of paresis of the abducens nerve following spinal analgesia is described. Cranial nerve paresis is a rare complication of spinal analgesia although described for all cranial nerves except nos. 1, 9 and 10. It is very useful to know that cranial nerve paresis after spinal analgesia often occurs after a delay of several days, and that treatment is unnecessary because symptoms nearly always disappear spontaneously in about 2-4 months.