[Postspinal headache -- a clinical problem (author's transl)].

A prospective study was made in 255 patients following spinal anaesthesia to detect the incidence of post operative headache, reference also being made to the size of needle used for lumbar puncture. There was a difference in the frequency of headache related to the size of needle used (9.7% with 22 gauge needle as against 6.7% with 25 gauge needle). Also the value of prophylaxis of headache by means of an epidural blood patch was shown (1.3%). Age also played a role, the older the patient, the less the risk of headache. The social class of the patient played no role at all.