Postdural puncture headache and cerebral venous thrombosis in obstetric anaesthesia

Editor—A recent review of 58 case reports of obstetric patients diagnosed with cerebral venous thrombosis found that 79.3% of the cases had an antecedent postdural puncture headache (PDPH).1 The authors concluded that this high rate lent support to a possible association. Multiple deaths secondary to cerebral venous thrombosis have been reported in the UK and Ireland Confidential Enquiries into Maternal Deaths and Morbidity.1,2 We present a recent case to increase awareness regarding this possible association and to discuss the pathophysiology associated with peripartum dural puncture, development of PDPH, and occurrence of cerebral venous thrombosis.