Epidurals, Ethics, and Expectations: Talking Risks and Benefits in Obstetric Anesthesia

In a patient with a history of a spinal cord lesion higher than T7, marked hypertension and bradycardia is concerning for autonomic hyperreflexia. Normally, descending inhibitory impulses travel down the spinal cord to block reflex arcs to cutaneous, visceral, or proprioceptive stimuli. This arc is disrupted in spinal cord injury and can lead to autonomic instability, most notably severe hypertension followed by a sustained vagal response including bradycardia, vasodilation, and cutaneous flushing. Treatment is supportive, including stopping the inciting stimulus (ask surgeons to pause) and lowering the blood pressure to normal levels via vasodilators and assuring adequate levels of anesthesia.