Treatment of Post-dural Puncture Headache in Postpartum Parturients: Comparing Sphenopalatine Ganglion Block to Epidural Blood Patch.

Sphenopalatine Ganglion Block: The patient is placed in the supine position. Four cc of 2% viscous lidocaine is placed to the level of the sphenopalatine ganglion with a 20 gauge angiocatheter along sterile swabs which were placed carefully into the patients nostrils bilaterally and lateral to the middle turbinate. It will be documented that the patient has no pain or paresthesia during or after the procedure. The swabs are withdrawn after 30 minutes.

Epidural Blood Patch: The patient is positioned in the sitting or lateral positon. Using aseptic technique, 20mL of autologous blood is drawn by a trained practitioner. The epidural placement is performed by a trained practitioner using aseptic technique and the vertebral space accessed is at or immediately below the original neuraxial placement. After entrance into the epidural space is confirmed with loss of resistance technique to either air or saline, 15-20 milliliters of sterile autologous venous blood is injected. After the procedure the patient rests supine for at least 1 hour. Patients are instructed to avoid heavy lifting, abdominal straining, or coughing for at least 48 hours.