Epidural Blood Patch

An epidural blood patch is performed to relieve spinal headaches which sometimes occur after a myelogram, epidural steroid injection, spinal anesthesia or back surgery. This type of headache occurs when there is a tear or hole in the membrane that covers the spinal cord, causing a spinal fluid leak. During the procedure, blood will be drawn from your arm and injected near the site of the previous injection. The blood injected in the epidural space then patches the tear or hole in the membrane.