Neurological Complications Following Obstetric Neuraxial Anesthesia: A 4-Year United Kingdom Population-Based Study Of Epidural Hematoma and Epidural Abscess (2014-2017)

( Int J Obstet Anesth 2025;63:104700. doi:10.1016/j.ijoa.2025.104700) Epidural hematoma and epidural abscess are rare and potentially devastating neurological complications associated with obstetric neuraxial anesthesia (NA). Although NA is widely used in the United Kingdom, with ~190,000 obstetric labor epidurals administered each year, reliable contemporary data on the incidence and outcomes of these complications have been limited. This population-based study aimed to estimate the frequency of epidural hematoma and abscess in UK obstetric patients and to describe patterns of diagnosis, management, and maternal and neonatal outcomes.