Expert: Ronald Levy, M.D. - 6/27/2011

Question
My daughter had her last child in 2007 and received an epidural during her labor and delivery.  She now has pains in her back occasionally (not constant or regularly).  After receiving her epidural procedure, she had to return to the hospital due to a massive headache which the doctors called a brain float because when she received the epidural the nicked her spinal cord causing a leakage.  Is it possible that because of the problem with her epidural that she could be having these severe back pains on occasion.

Answer
It's not a "brain float" but what is called a wet tap (or spinal headache) which is treated with a blood patch. It is very unlikely that the two are related. Once the headache resolves, thee is usually no other problems and it is not associated with back pain. Also, it is not likely that the epidural nicked the spinal cord because the needle is actually placed below the end of the spinal cord but it nicked the subdural space causing a leakage of spinal fluid. More likely her back pain is related to stress from lifting, etc and if it is severe or causing any weakness or bladder problems, should be seen by a back surgeon. This problem is not the result of the wet tap.

Ronald Levy, MD
Professor of Anesthesiology
UTMB-Galveston