Subdural block is a rare but well recognized complication of epidural anesthesia. The placement of local anesthetics into the subdural space can lead to potentially life-threatening conditions. A healthy 46-year-old women underwent total abdominal hysterectomy under continuous lumber epidural anesthesia. The technical procedure for continuous epidural catheterization went smoothly without a single problem. However, signs of high epidural block such as apnea, cranial nerve paralysis and pupil dilatation developed gradually, about 20 minutes after the epidural injection of 2% lidocaine 20 ml through the epidural catheter. Such extensive segmental block can only be explained as the result of injection into subdural space even if it was not confirmed radiologically.