Aseptic Meningitis After Spinal Anesthesia

Meningitis is a rare but serious complication of neuraxial anesthesia. Our team reports a case of a 32-year-old who developed aseptic meningitis following a spinal anesthetic for Caesarean delivery. She presented with fever, headache, and neck pain, suggesting meningitis. However, the workup was negative for any causative organism. Aseptic meningitis is a diagnosis of exclusion, secondary to chemical irritation of the meninges or drug hypersensitivity. Differentiation between bacterial and aseptic meningitis is important due the prompt need for antibiotic therapy and further lifethreatening complications.