Aim: Finding the technique, median or paramedian, with least prevalence of post dural puncture headache (PDPH).
Design: One centered recruited parturients from Shariati hospital of Bandar Abbas .150 women entered the double -blind randomized (Blocks) study. Divided into two groups of 75 patients, (the median and paramedian groups). Recruitment has finished.
Inclusion criteria: 15-45 years old, elective cesarean section.
Exclusion criteria: ASA III-IV, more than one dural puncture, previous PDPH, contraindication for spinal anesthesia, block failure, surgical complications, patients who did not complete the 7 days follow up period.
Methods: At first a written informed consent was obtained from the patients according to Helsinki declaration. Intrathecal anesthesia applied in sitting position and from the lumbar 4-5 interface with a 25 G, Quincke type needle. Bupivacaine 0.5% (12.5 milligrams) injected intrathecally by an anesthesiologist with the median (first group) or paramedian techniques (second group). The following variables were checked and documented by a researcher unaware of the type of block technique: Primary outcomes were patients' vital signs, the incidence of bradycardia and hypotension, before and at 1, 3, 5 and 10 minutes after spinal block, level of spinal block, nausea and vomiting, amount of ephedrine and atropine usage. Secondary outcomes were post-dural puncture headache (PDPH) on daily checks for 7 days, time to discharge from recovery-out of bed-discharge from hospital.