Sterile water block labor analgesia in a parturient with ventriculoperitoneal shunt in situ

Abstract

A 24-year-old woman with a ventriculoperitoneal shunt in situ presented in the anesthesia clinic at 35 weeks of gestation for labor analgesia and anesthetic options for operative delivery, if required. The patient had been diagnosed with a space-occupying lesion in the posterior fossa. This was found to be neurocysticercosis for which she underwent surgery with the placement of a right ventriculoperitoneal shunt 14 years ago. The antenatal period was uneventful and the patient went into spontaneous labor at 37 weeks of gestation. The patient was given four injections of sterile water block labor analgesia after every 3 h and underwent a normal vaginal delivery. The postnatal period was uneventful and the mother and the baby were discharged after 5 days.

Keywords

• Labor analgesia
• parturient
• sterile water block
• ventriculoperitoneal shunt