Lumbar Radiculopathy Caused by Epidural Gas Collection

Overview

Journal Case Rep Orthop

Publisher Wiley

Specialty Orthopedics

Date 2022 Jun 9

PMID 35677752

Authors

Dong Hu

Kai Xu

Songhua Xiao

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Degenerated intervertebral discs in the lumbar spine are commonly found with vacuum phenomenon. In a few cases, gas can migrate into the lumbar spinal canal and compress the nerve root. . We report a case of lumbar radiculopathy caused by epidural gas collection in a 59-year-old woman. Originally, the gas was formed in the intervertebral disc and possibly migrated backward because of the motion of lumbar spine, forming a single large gas formation. The nerve root was freed from the gas-filled cyst after needle puncture was performed. Patient's symptoms in the leg were significantly relieved following surgery.

Conclusion: There is still no satisfactory explanation for the pathogenesis of gas formation in the spinal canal. In our case, the presence of gas in the spinal canal and gas inside a narrowed disc suggests a communication between the two structures.

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