Headache
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A retrospective review was done on medical records of 13 patients with persistent post-dural-puncture headaches after one or more epidural blood patches. Headache occurred in nine patients with post-laminectomy syndrome after "wet taps" while performing epidural blocks. In two patients post-dural-puncture headache appeared after long term implanted intrathecal catheters were removed. ⋯ In five patients headache ceased in less than five hours. Nausea and photo-phobia subsided earlier. Patients with post-dural-puncture headache resistant to other treatments, including at least one epidural blood patch, were successfully treated by a bolus followed by continuous epidural infusion of dextran-40.