ABSTRACT

Background: PDPH was defined as a postural headache occurring within 5 days of spinal anaesthesia and relieved by recumbency. Although it has significant clinical impact, limited data exist in Southern Nigeria, particularly at Delta State University Teaching Hospital (DELSUTH), Oghara.
Objective: This study therefore assessed the prevalence of PDPH and identified associated demographic and procedural risk factors among patients who received spinal anesthesia at DELSUTH.
Materials And Methods: A hospital-based analytical cross-sectional study involving 209 adult patients who had spinal anesthesia within the previous six months was conducted between January and December 2025. Participants were selected using systematic random sampling. Data were collected through interviewer-administered questionnaires and medical record review and analyzed using SPSS version 28. Descriptive statistics summarized patient characteristics, while chi-square test and logistic regression assessed associations with PDPH at a significance level of p < 0.05.
Results: The prevalence of PDPH was 24.4%, with most participants aged 28–37 years and 53.1% female. Younger age, use of larger-gauge spinal needles, and puncture at the L4–L5 interspace were significantly associated with PDPH. Most headaches were mild, frontal, and occurred within 24 hours of the procedure. Additionally, the specified puncture level significantly reduced the odds of PDPH by about 54% (AOR = 0.460, 95% CI: 0.225–0.938, p = 0.033).
Conclusion: In conclusion, younger age, larger needle size, and puncture at the L4–L5 level were key predictors. Using finer atraumatic needles and selecting higher puncture levels, especially in younger patients, may reduce PDPH incidence.

KEYWORDS

Spinal, Puncture, Headache, Prevalence and Needles

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Cite this article

Ojadovba, E. B., Akpoyibo, E. E., & Igwekpe, E. O. (2026). Prevalence and Risk Factors of Post-Dural Puncture Headache among Patients Undergoing Spinal Anaesthesia at Delta State University Teaching Hospital, Oghara, Nigeria: A Cross-Sectional Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEALTH & MEDICAL RESEARCH, 5(7), 601-608. https://doi.org/10.58806/ijhmr.2026.v5i7n04