Long-term neurological complication following traumatic damage to the spinal cord with a 25 gauge Whitacre spinal needle

Neurological complications following regional anaesthesia may arise due to compression of the spinal cord or nerve roots secondary to haematoma or abscess, trauma, neurotoxicity or ischaemia. We report a patient who developed prolonged left lower limb paresis following combined spinal epidural (CSE) anaesthesia for emergency caesarean section. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed marked swelling of the lower end of the spinal cord suggesting traumatic damage of the cord by the spinal needle.