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Postspinal headache in young and elderly patients
Author(s) -
RASMUSSEN B. S.,
BLOM L.,
HANSEN P.,
MIKKELSEN S. S.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
anaesthesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.839
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1365-2044
pISSN - 0003-2409
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2044.1989.tb11444.x
Subject(s) - medicine , incidence (geometry) , spinal anesthesia , anesthesia , elderly people , surgery , age groups , significant difference , gerontology , physics , demography , sociology , optics
Summary In two randomised, double‐blind studies of elderly patients with a mean age of 68.9 (range 21–88) years and young patients, mean age 29.4 (range 20–40) years, the effect of needle size on the incidence of postspinal headache was compared. The two needle groups, 20‐ and 25‐gauge, were comparable in both studies with regard to number, sex, age and type of surgery. The incidence of postspinal headache in young patients was 27.6% when a 20‐gauge needle was used and 12.6% with a 25‐gauge needle. There was no significant dzzerence in either the incidence of headache in the elderly patients (10.8% and 7.8%, respectively) or between the sexes. It is concluded that it does not matter if a 20‐ or a 25‐gauge needle is used for spinal analgesia in elderly patients with regard to postspinal headache, but if spinal analgesia is indicated in young patients a fine needle is preferred.