risk of complications. Pain relief during other surgery Epidural analgesia has been demonstrated to have several benefits after other surgeries, including decreasing the need for the use of oral or systemic opioids, and reducing the risk of postoperative respiratory problems, chest infections, blood transfusion requirements, and myocardial infarctions. Use of epidural analgesia after surgery in place of systemic analgesia is less likely to decrease intestinal motility which would occur with systemic opioid therapy through blockade of the sympathetic nervous system. Some surgeries that spinal analgesia may be used in include lower abdominal surgery, lower limb surgery, cardiac surgery, and perineal surgery. Others The injection of steroids into the epidural space is sometimes used to treat nerve root pain, radicular pain and inflammation caused by conditions such as spinal disc herniation, degenerative disc disease, and spinal stenosis. The risk of complications from steroid administration is low and complications are usually minor. The specific drug, dose, and frequency of administration impacts the risk for and severity of complications. Complications of epidural steroid administration are similar to the side effects of steroids administered in other manners, and can include higher than normal blood sugar, especially in patients with type 2 diabetes. An epidural blood patch consists of a small amount of a person's own blood is injected into the epidural space. This is done as a method of sealing a hole or leak in the epidural. The injected blood clots at the site of the puncture, closes the leak, and modulates CSF pressure. This may be used to treat post-dural-puncture headache and leakage of cerebrospinal fluid due to dural puncture, which occurs in approximately 1.5% of epidural analgesia procedures. Contraindications The use of epidural analgesia and anesthetic is considered safe and effective in most situations. Epidural analgesia is contraindicated in people who have complications such as cellulitis near the injection site or severe coagulopathy. In some cases, it may be contraindicated in people with low platelets, increased intracranial pressure, or decreased cardiac output. Due to the risk of disease progression, it is also potentially contraindicated in people with preexisting progressive neurologic disease. Some heart conditions such as stenosis of the aortic or mitral valves are also a contraindication to the use of epidural administration, as is low blood pressure or hypovolemia. An epidural is generally not used in people who are being administered anticoagulation therapy as it increases the risk of complications from