Revista española de anestesiología y reanimación
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Amniotic fluid embolism is an obstetric complication that can present during pregnancy or labor and is associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. The incidence is low but the mortality rates for both mother and fetus are high. A 34-year-old woman in the 41st week of gestation was admitted for induction of labor. ⋯ The usual signs are acute respiratory failure, cardiovascular collapse, and occasionally convulsions and coagulopathy. Cardiac arrest occurs in 80% of the cases. Treatment is symptomatic to provide life-sustaining measures in response to the clinical picture as it develops.
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Cerebellar hemorrhage is a rare complication of spinal anesthesia. We report a case in a 51-year-old woman with a history of hypertension who underwent uterine dilatation and curettage with spinal anesthesia. During recovery she vomited and complained of headache. ⋯ The patient recovered fully without surgical decompression. We review the pathogenesis of headache and cerebral hemorrhage after spinal anesthesia and propose differential diagnosis between spontaneous rupture related to hypertension and cerebrospinal fluid hypotension syndrome caused by trauma from lumbar spinal puncture. Patients with prolonged severe headache after spinal anesthesia require neurologic and radiologic monitoring to rule out the possibility of intracranial complications.