The Efficiency of Intravenous Theophylline on the Headache Which Occurs After Spinal Anesthesia

Abstract

Background: Headache which occurs after spinal anesthesia is the most frequent complication (30 - 40%). In our study, we studied the efficiency of intravenous theophylline application on the patients who came with after spinal anesthesia headache (ASAH).

Methods: Sixty patients were included in this study. The patients were divided into three groups. The first group was given; intravenous (iv)200 mg theophylline + 1000 ml Dextrose Linger lactate (DRL) with in half hour, the 2nd, oral 100 mgcaffeine + 500 mg paracetomol + 1000 ml DRL and the 3rd, oral and iv placebo with 1000 ml DRL within half hour. These patients were asked to degree the pain before the medicine was given and one hour after it was given using The Visual Pain Scala (VPS).

Results: In the first group, statistically significant difference was detected in the VPS results before and after the theophylline infusion (P < 0.001). While the average VPS result was (7.34 ± 2.15) before, and (2.2 ± 2.04) after the infusion. In the second and third group, no statistically significant difference was detected in VPS (P > 0.1).

Conclusion: The reason for the pain is the leak of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from where the injection is given and the fall of CSF pressure. The agents like theophylline which causes vasoconstriction in brain veins help get over the headache. Our results tend to show that theophylline infusion after spinal anesthesia is a method which is efficient, fast and does minimal harm during the headache therapy.




J Neurol Res. 2011;1(5):190-192
doi: https://doi.org/10.4021/jnr71e