Subarachnoid haematoma after spinal anaesthesia mimicking transient radicular irritation: a case report and review.

I report a patient with a spinal subarachnoid haematoma after difficult spinal anaesthesia who presented with symptoms of radicular irritation, and who recovered with conservative management. Subarachnoid haematoma is rare after spinal anaesthesia; a literature review found nine cases. In the majority of these cases, spinal anaesthesia had been difficult and unsuccessful. Other risk factors included antiplatelet and anticoagulant therapy, and direct spinal cord trauma. All the previous cases required decompressive laminectomy.