BLOOD PATCH MANAGEMENT
OB Patients in the immediate postpartum period:
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If a patient presents in the postpartum period and is still admitted, Anesthesia will perform the blood patch.
Other Non-OB & OB Patients:
Weekdays:
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If a patient presents in the ER, the ER physician or Acute Pain team may try to schedule the patient in the Pain Clinic.
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The Pain Clinic will perform all blood patches referred by other specialties, provided the patient can wait 24 hours.
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If the request is during business hours, the Pain Clinic may be able to do it on the same day depending on availability in the schedule.
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If Anesthesia has the time and clinical situation warrants, they can perform the blood patch in the ER .
Weekends:
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If urgent: An Anesthesia physician can perform the blood patch or the patient may be admitted, and the Pain Clinic will handle it the next business day.
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If not urgent: Leave a message with the Pain Clinic and it will be performed on the next business day.
Process for Scheduling with the Pain Clinic:
Please use one of the following options to refer the patient:
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Call 404-459-1838 and leave a message for the nurse.
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Text the on-call Pain physician with details about the patient needing a blood patch.
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In all cases, provide the patient with our Pain Clinic phone number.
When performing an epidural blood patch, you may not be concurrently medically directing or supervising an anesthetist for any type of case. The epidural blood patch is considered a procedure, similar to a surgeon performing an operation. You are allowed to be the physician of record on a labor epidural that is running. Be sure to hand off any cases you are currently on prior to the start time for an epidural blood patch.
see the Lucidoc policy here: Blood Patch Policy pdf