Lumbosacral meningismus complicating subdural injection of "blood patch": case report

The published literature suggests that the technique of epidural "blood patch" injection is both safe and effective for the treatment and prevention of headache after spinal puncture. However, a case is reported in which the complications following a "blood patch" outweighed the disability and discomfort produced by the headache itself. The etiology is believed to have been inadvertent injection of blood into the subarachnoid space.