The Sprotte needle and post dural puncture headache following caesarean section

One hundred and forty-four patients receiving subarachnoid anaesthesia for caesarean section were prospectively analysed for quality of anaesthesia and the occurrence of post dural puncture headache (PDPH). Anaesthesia was administered via 24 gauge Sprotte (n = 104) and 26 gauge Quincke (n = 40) needles using hyperbaric bupivacaine 0.5% with morphine 0.2 mg. Anaesthesia was successful in 103 patients with the Sprotte needle and 38 patients with the Quincke needle, and the operating conditions were considered to be excellent. Of the 104 patients in the Sprotte needle group there were ten with PDPH (9.6%), two of which were considered severe. Of the 40 patients in the Quincke needle group there were eight with PDPH (20%), three of which were considered severe. Despite the lower incidence of headache in the Sprotte needle group, this was not statistically significant (P > 0.05), due to the difference in population size. We conclude that the 24 gauge Sprotte needle is associated with a comparatively low but clinically relevant incidence of headache in the obstetric population.