Läkartidningen
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There is an increasing awareness of the risk of haematoma in patients anticoagulated with low molecular weight heparins and scheduled to undergo epidural or spinal anaesthesia. The mechanisms causing this are not always clear, the incidence is very low. Risk factors are discussed as well as possible precautions to avoid this iatrogenic complication.
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The Patient Injury Claims Department in Sweden grants compensation to patients who have incurred injury in the national health service system. All claims involving spinal and epidural anaesthesia were studied during the period 1997-1999. ⋯ Epidural haematoma occurred in 1:30,000 after epidural anaesthesia, in 1:200,000 after spinal anaesthesia. One epidural abscess occurred in 60,000 epidural anaesthesias, while five cases of meningitis occurred after spinal anaesthesia (1:40,000).