Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Following Spinal Anesthesia for Cesarean Sections

Severe headache during pregnancy can lead to a broad spectrum of differential diagnoses, including pre-eclampsia, migraine, post dural spinal headaches, and intracranial pathology. Herein is described a case of an obstetric patient who was admitted for a repeat Cesarean section. After receiving spinal anesthesia, she developed a sudden, severe headache and subsequently experienced a seizure two hours post-operatively. A CT scan confirmed the diagnosis of subarachnoid hemorrhage. A diagnosis of subarachnoid hemorrhage should be considered when assessing obstetric patients with an atypical headache.