An observational study in Parturients, Accidental Puncture of Dura During Anaesthesia and Epidural Filling, sponsored by Peking University First Hospital. Not yet recruiting at 4 sites in China. Open to female participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-11-04.
Sponsored by Peking University First Hospital · Observational
The incidence of accidental dural puncture (ADP) among parturients receiving neuraxial labor analgesia has been reported to range from 1% to 1.5%. Post-dural puncture headache (PDPH) is a headache caused by low cerebrospinal fluid pressure resulting from substantial cerebrospinal fluid leakage after dural and arachnoid puncture. Epidural filling with hydroxyethyl starch (HES) via an epidural catheter has been used to prevent PDPH in patients with ADP. This multicenter prospective cohort study aimed to evaluate the effect of epidural HES filling in preventing PDPH in parturients who experienced ADP during epidural labor analgesia or neuraxial anesthesia for cesarean delivery.
Accidental dural puncture (ADP) is a common complication of epidural puncture. Studies have reported that the incidence of ADP among parturients receiving neuraxial labor analgesia ranges from 1% to 1.5%. Post-dural puncture headache (PDPH) is a headache caused by low cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure resulting from substantial CSF leakage after dural and arachnoid puncture. It typically occurs when the dura is accidentally punctured by a relatively large 16- or 18-gauge epidural needle during epidural labor analgesia or anesthesia, and occasionally after spinal anesthesia or combined spinal-epidural anesthesia performed with a 25-gauge fine needle. The literature reports that the incidence of PDPH among parturients undergoing neuraxial puncture is 0.4% to 1.5%, and that the incidence of PDPH after ADP is 50% to 80%, which is far higher than that in non-obstetric patients.
Current guideline-recommended treatments for PDPH include: (1) nonpharmacological conservative treatment, including oral fluids or intravenous hydration to maintain or increase CSF production, bed rest, and use of an abdominal binder. Although commonly used, their efficacy remains uncertain. (2) Pharmacological treatment: multimodal analgesia with acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is recommended, and short-term opioid use may also be considered. Although these can relieve some symptoms, the potential transfer of drugs into breast milk and effects on the neonate should be considered at high doses. (3) Epidural blood patch (EBP) is the recommended standard treatment. It involves slow, fractionated injection of 15-20 mL of autologous blood into the epidural space, which increases epidural pressure, redistributes CSF, and forms a local blood clot that seals the dural tear, thereby reducing CSF leakage and gradually relieving the headache. However, not all patients with ADP develop PDPH; a strategy of routine prophylactic EBP would expose some patients to unnecessary potential risks.
Epidural filling with crystalloids or colloids is another alternative treatment option, which involves injecting normal saline, dextran, or hydroxyethyl starch (HES) through an epidural catheter to increase CSF pressure. Bel et al. reported a case in which epidural dextran filling successfully treated spontaneous intracranial hypotension in a pregnant woman. Aldrete et al. reported 13 patients with PDPH refractory to EBP whose headaches completely resolved after epidural dextran filling. Reynvoet et al. reported a patient with PDPH accompanied by hearing loss in whom two EBPs failed to relieve symptoms; at 8 weeks, epidural dextran filling was performed, and the symptoms completely resolved. Case reports from China and other countries have also described the preventive and therapeutic effects of epidural HES filling for the prevention and treatment of PDPH, with no adverse events reported during long-term follow-up.
This multicenter prospective cohort study aimed to evaluate the effect of epidural HES filling in preventing PDPH in parturients who experienced ADP during epidural labor analgesia or neuraxial anesthesia for cesarean delivery.
131 studies on the registry are indexed under Post-Dural Puncture Headache; 29 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 410 is above the median of 188 across 36 observational studies indexed under Post-Dural Puncture Headache.
Browse Post-Dural Puncture Headache studies →Peking University First Hospital is the lead sponsor of 390 studies on the registry; 186 are open to participants now.
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The study population comprised parturients aged ≥18 years who experienced accidental dural puncture (ADP) during epidural labor analgesia or neuraxial anesthesia for cesarean delivery at the participating centers during the enrollment period.
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Exclusion Criteria:
For parturients with accidental dural puncture during labor epidural analgesia, after successful reinsertion of the epidural catheter at a different interspace, 15 mL of hydroxyethyl starch (HES) will be administered into the epidural space at two time points: the first at 30 minutes after the initial epidural dose administered through the reinserted catheter, and the second before catheter removal 24 hours after delivery. For parturients with accidental dural puncture during cesarean delivery, 15 mL of HES will be administered into the epidural space at two time points: after delivery of the fetus and before catheter removal at the end of the 48-hour analgesia period.
Drug: Epidural hydroxyethyl starch
For parturients with accidental dural puncture during labor epidural analgesia, after successful reinsertion of the epidural catheter at a different interspace, no HES will be administered into the epidural space in the control group. The corresponding time points in the intervention group are 30 minutes after the initial epidural dose administered through the reinserted catheter and before catheter removal 24 hours after delivery. For parturients with accidental dural puncture during cesarean delivery, no HES will be administered into the epidural space in the control group. The corresponding time points in the intervention group are after delivery of the fetus and before catheter removal at the end of the 48-hour analgesia period.
Drug: No epidural hydroxyethyl starch
For parturients with accidental dural puncture during labor epidural analgesia, after successful reinsertion of the epidural catheter at a different interspace, 15 mL of hydroxyethyl starch (HES) will be administered into the epidural space at two time points: the first at 30 minutes after the initial epidural dose administered through the reinserted catheter, and the second before catheter removal 24 hours after delivery. For parturients with accidental dural puncture during cesarean delivery, 15 mL of HES will be administered into the epidural space at two time points: after delivery of the fetus and before catheter removal at the end of the 48-hour analgesia period.
Also known as: Epidural filling with hydroxyethyl starch
For parturients with accidental dural puncture during labor epidural analgesia, after successful reinsertion of the epidural catheter at a different interspace, no HES will be administered into the epidural space in the control group. The corresponding time points in the intervention group are 30 minutes after the initial epidural dose administered through the reinserted catheter and before catheter removal 24 hours after delivery. For parturients with accidental dural puncture during cesarean delivery, no HES will be administered into the epidural space in the control group. The corresponding time points in the intervention group are after delivery of the fetus and before catheter removal at the end of the 48-hour analgesia period.
Also known as: No epidural filling with hydroxyethyl starch
Incidence of post-dural puncture headache (PDPH) within 7 days.
According to the International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition (ICHD-3) diagnostic criteria for post-dural puncture headache (PDPH), PDPH is defined as: a history of dural puncture; headache occurring within 5 days after dural puncture; headache consistent with low cerebrospinal fluid pressure headache; and not better accounted for by another ICHD-3 diagnosis.
Time frame: Up to 7 days after accidental dural puncture.
Duration of post-dural puncture headache (PDPH)
Duration of PDPH is defined as the time from the onset of PDPH to complete resolution of headache, recorded in days. Patients without resolution by the end of follow-up will be censored at the last follow-up visit.
Time frame: Up to 2 weeks after accidental dural puncture.
Severity of post-dural puncture headache (PDPH)
PDPH severity was graded on a 0-10 numeric rating scale (NRS) as mild (1-3), moderate (4-6), or severe (7-10).
Time frame: Up to 2 weeks after accidental dural puncture.
Plan to share: No
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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