Transient seizure: a subtle clue to diagnosis of subarachnoid haemorrhage.

A case is described of a 25-year-old primigravida who sustained a transient seizure following the administration of an epidural bolus of local anaesthetic. She had previously complained of a headache, and 3 days after caesarean section, died from subarachnoid haemorrhage. This case report highlights the difficulty in diagnosing subarachnoid haemorrhage in pregnancy and discusses the anaesthetic complications that may arise in the presence of an undiagnosed aneurysmal rupture. In this case the diagnosis was delayed due to absence of neurological signs, but the transient seizure may have been a clue to an earlier diagnosis.