Two needles,one haystack: Lessons from spinal tuberculosis mimicking lumbar epidural complication in a post-partum patient

Abstract

While both considered rare in contemporary Australian anaesthetic practice, the symptoms of epidural complication can mimic those of spinal tuberculosis, as we outline here in this unusual case. A 33-year-old woman presented to hospital with new neurological deficits days after receiving a lumbar epidural for labour analgesia. A complication of epidural was initially suspected; however, spinal tuberculosis was found be the cause. This case demonstrates many of the challenges and unique requirements involved in providing neuraxial anaesthesia to the obstetric cohort, namely: consenting linguistically diverse patients, providing advice on discharge, and the role of anaesthetics in expediting time-critical investigations.