Cases of Complications after Epidural Anesthesia in Japan

Abstract

Epidural anesthesia is widely used for intraoperative and postoperative analgesia, but it can lead to various complications. Although most of these are minor, such as nausea, vomiting, hypotension and urinary retention, serious complications can occur as well, resulting in permanent nerve injury. Spinal epidural hematoma and epidural abscess are among the most serious and well-known complications. This paper describes cases of complications after epidural anesthesia which have occurred in our hospital and been reported in the literature from Japan. We should provide proper education for young clinical fellows to reduce the incidence of complications resulting from improper procedures. An acute pain service can play an important role in early detection and early treatment of these complications.