epidural blood patch (EBP), a treatment for postdural puncture headache caused by an inadvertent puncture of the dura mater during an epidural anesthetic, in which 15 to 20 mL of a patient’s autologous blood is injected into the epidural space at or near the location of a dural puncture. The volume injected displaces cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from the lumbar CSF space into the area surrounding the brain, often yielding immediate relief. When the blood clots, it seals the dural puncture, prohibiting further leakage of CSF from the subarachnoid space.
