Infectious complications following regional anesthesia: a narrative review and contemporary estimates of risk
Authors' conclusion
Our review suggests that the risk of overall infectious complications following neuraxial anesthesia is very rare and the rate of CNS infections is even rarer. The infectious complications following PNB catheters seems significantly higher compared with CNB.
Study context
- Population
- Patients receiving regional anesthesia (RA): central neuraxial blocks (epidural, spinal, combined spinal epidural (CSE)) and peripheral nerve blocks
- Outcome
- Overall infectious complications following all central neuraxial blocks
Methodological detailspooled estimates with 95% CI, Literature search of PubMed, Embase and Cochrane databases
- Pooled estimates with 95% CI
- Literature search of PubMed, Embase and Cochrane databases
Pooled result
As reported in the abstract
Pooled incidence, overall infectious complications after all central neuraxial blocks (CNB)
9/100 000
95% CI 5, 13/100 000
Further pooled results
Central nervous system (CNS) infections after all CNB
- Pooled incidence
- 2/100 000 (95% CI 1, 3/100 000)
CNS infections after spinal anesthesia
- Pooled incidence
- 1/100 000 (95% CI 1, 2/100 000)
Overall infectious complications after all CNB, obstetric population (subgroup)
- Pooled incidence
- 1/100 000 (95% CI 1, 3/100 000)
CNS infections after all CNB, obstetric population (subgroup)
- Pooled incidence
- 4 per million (95% CI 0.3, 1/100 000)
Infectious complications with peripheral nerve blocks (PNB) catheters
- Reported rate
- 1.8% (95% CI 1.2, 2.5/100)
Original publication
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