Post Procedural Complication following Cervical Epidural Local Anesthetic Injection: A Case Report

Cervical radiculopathy is a common condition affecting many people each year. The efficacy of cervical epidural steroid injection for patients that have not responded to conservative treatment has been demonstrated. Even with confirmatory radiocontrast dispersion indicating correct presence in the epidural space, there still may be rostral spread of steroid and local anesthetic resulting in an unusual presentation of symptoms and potentially life threatening complications.
We present the case of a 52-year-old male presenting for a right sided C6-C7 epidural steroid injection. The epidural space was identified and a Tuohy needle was advanced using loss of resistance technique. Isovue contrast was used for needle localization and after confirmation of the presence of the contrast in the epidural space, dexamethasone and lidocaine were injected to the area without any complications. Five minutes after arrival to the PACU, the patient developed a constellation of symptoms including inability to swallow, vertigo, and horizontal nystagmus which required reassurance and vigilant monitoring.
Interventional pain physicians must be cognizant that even with confirmatory epidural radiocontrast dispersion, there still may be inadvertent uptake of steroid and local anesthetic rostrally resulting in an unusual presentation of symptoms and potentially life threatening complications. Potential reasons for the rostral spread include inadvertent subdural or intrathecal injection.