Air within the spinal canal called pneumorrhachis has been seen rarely. We report a case showing multiple air pockets in the paraspinal and epidural space with vacuum disc and review pathogenesis and treatment of pneumorrhachis.
Epidural Space ; Intervertebral Disc ; Pneumorrhachis* ; Spinal Canal ; Spine ; Vacuum*

Case reports after accidental subdural injection during attempted epidural block have usually described extensive neuraxial blocks with a characteristic radiographic appearance on contrast injection. We experienced a case of cervical subdural injection with unusual clinical findings and radiographic appearance. A 51-year-old female patient with central herniated nucleus pulposus at cervical (C5/6) and lumbar level (L4/5, L5/S1) was referred to the pain clinic. During attempted cervical epidural block at the C6/7 interspace with fluoroscopy, injection of the 4 ml contrast showed posterior spread at cervical level. After cervical epidural steroid injection, the contrast was also confined to the posterior aspect of the spinal canal at lumbar level with fluoroscopy. In order to discriminate subdural space from epidural space, we performed transforaminal epidural injection of the 2 ml contrast at the L5/S1 interspace and we could confirm cervical epidural injection was made into the subdural space. We discuss the clinical characteristics of a subdural injection and the appearance of the cervical and lumbar subdurogram.
Epidural Space ; Female ; Fluoroscopy ; Humans ; Injections, Epidural ; Middle Aged ; Pain Clinics ; Spinal Canal ; Subdural Space

A 77-year-old woman presented with bilateral leg weakness, accompanied by severe axial back and radicular pain, after a L4–5 epidural injection. She had been receiving misappropriated epidural injections for the last few months. A contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance image showed rim enhancing, spinal canal compromising cystic lesion at the posterior epidural space of L4–5. During surgery, a severely central compromised non-communicating cystic lesion located at posterior epidural space was resected. A histological report of this lesion confirmed a pseudocyst containing a degenerated synovial tissue. Herein, we report our experience of cauda equine syndrome after epidural injection with successful treatment.
Aged ; Cauda Equina* ; Epidural Space ; Female ; Humans ; Injections, Epidural* ; Leg ; Polyradiculopathy* ; Spinal Canal

The surgical intervention for secondary developmental cervical spinal stenosis that results in myelopathy and radiculopathy has been modified by technical improvement to obtain more reliable enlargement of the cervical spinal canal. The authours have experienced good results with the modified open door expansive laminoplasty, so we report this article. The patients were treated by surgical intervention during the period from October 1989 to February 1991. The results obtained were as follows : 1) The average age was 54.7 years, and the sex distribution ratio of female to male was 2 : 8. 2) In clinical symptoms and symptoms of both myelopathy and radiculopathy. 3) In morphological analysis of lesions, all patients except one case had lesions over 3 levels, The lesions were spondylosis, spondylosis combined with soft disc herniation, spondylosis combined with OPLL, spondylosis combined with OPLL and soft disc herniation, OPLL and OYL in the order of frequency. 4) The operation method was as follows : after the patient was positioned in modified Concorde position, open door lamina was anchored to faced joint capsule and surrounding tissue with nylon sutures. And then the raw epidural space was covered with Lyodura by the modified Hirabayashi method. By this method, reclosure of widened spinal canal was prevented. 5) The outcomes were evaluated by JOA score difference between preoperation and post operation times. The outcome of recovery rate was 100% in five cases. Therewere no aggravated or unimproved cases. The results were excellent 8 cases, good 1 case, unchanged 0 case, poor 0 case and expired 1 case.
Epidural Space ; Female ; Humans ; Joint Capsule ; Male ; Nylons ; Radiculopathy ; Sex Distribution ; Spinal Canal ; Spinal Cord Diseases ; Spinal Stenosis* ; Spondylosis ; Sutures

The spinal canal takes the form of a series of cylinders designated by their relationship to the meninges and is divided by the dura mater into the epidural or extradural space and the intradural space. The epidural space is composed of spinal ligaments, connective and areolar tissue, the epidural venous plexus, lymphatic channels and supporting elements, and various pathologic entities are found there. MR imaging can accurately depict the extent and characteristics of lesions, and in some cases specific diagnosis is possible. In this pictorial essay, we illustrate a variety of spinal epidural lesions and their MR findings.
Diagnosis ; Dura Mater ; Epidural Space ; Ligaments ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Meninges ; Spinal Canal

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to describe the MR imaging appearance of the dural ligaments which is connected between the anterior dura mater and the posterior longitudinal ligament. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 10 cadavers with formalin fixation, the dural ligaments were evaluated and photographed after removal of the posterior element of the spinal canal. MR studies of 12 patients who had distinct dural ligaments were evaluated. Spin-echo MR images were obtained on a 1. 5T unit. RESULTS: In seven of the ten cadavers, the midline dural ligament was observed; the lateral dural ligament was observed in 3 cadavers. On MR, the dural ligaments were imaged as thin lines of low signal intensity between the anterior dural margin and the posterior longitudinal ligament. Dural ligaments were well-visualized at the level of the lower lumbar spine which had a more prominent anterior epidural space than that of the upper level of the spine. Eight of 12 cases had well developed midline dural ligaments. Two cases showed distinct lateral dural ligaments and the remaining 2 cases had distinct midline and lateral dural ligaments. CONCLUSION: MR images of the dural ligament demonstrate a thin low signal line at the anterior epidural space.
Cadaver* ; Dura Mater ; Epidural Space ; Formaldehyde ; Humans ; Ligaments ; Longitudinal Ligaments ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Spinal Canal ; Spine

Vacuum disc phenomenon is a collection of gas in the intervertebral disc space but rarely causes nerve compression. However, some rare type of vacuum phenomenon in the spinal canal may bring about posterior gas displacement within the epidural space. The authors describe two patients with symptomatic epidural gas-containing cyst that seem to be originating from vacuum phenomenon in the intervertebral disc, causing lumbosacral radiculopathy. Radiographic studies demonstrated intervertebral vacuum phenomenon and accumulation of gas in the lumbar epidural space compressing the dural sac and the nerve root. The nerve root in both patients was compressed by gas containing cyst that was surrounded by thin walled capsule separable from the gaseous degenerated disc space. The speculative mechanism of the nerve root compression is discussed. The possibility of gas containing cyst should be considered in case of the nerve root compression in which epidural gas is present.
Displacement (Psychology) ; Epidural Space ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc ; Radiculopathy ; Spinal Canal ; Vacuum

The operative case of transmanubrial osteomuscular sparing approach for the tumor involving thoracic inlet is reported. A 69-year-old man visited the hospital due to right upper extremity weakness. Chest roentgenogram showed bronchiectasis, chronic pulmonary tuberculosis, and fungal ball in right upper lobe. On computed tomogram, tumor was located in epidural space of the 6th, the 7th cervical, and the 1st thoracic spine and extended to the apex of the right thorax. A neurosurgeon performed laminectomy and removed the tumor located in the spinal canal. A thoracic surgeon performed a transmanubrial osteomuscular sparing approach and removed the tumor involving thoracic inlet. The tumor was diagnosed as hemangiopericytoma. The patient recovered without complication.
Aged ; Bays* ; Bronchiectasis ; Epidural Space ; Hemangiopericytoma ; Humans ; Laminectomy ; Spinal Canal ; Spine ; Thorax ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary ; Upper Extremity

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate morphological change at the craniovertebral junction (CVJ) region using computed tomography. METHODS: A total of 238 patients were included in this study, and mean age was 47.8+/-21.3 months. Spinal canal diameter, Power's ratio, McRae line, antero-posterior C1 ring height, atlantoaxial joint space, C2 growth, epidural space from the dens (M-PB-C2) and longitudinal distance (basion to C2 lower margin, B-C2) were measured. The mean value of each parameter was assessed for individual age groups. The cohorts were then divided into three larger age groups : infancy (I) (< or =2 years), very early (VE) childhood (2-5 years) and early (E) childhood (5> or = years). RESULTS: Spinal canal diameter increased with age; however, this value did not increase with statistical significance after VE age. A significant age-related difference was found for all C2 body and odontoid parameters (p<0.05). Mean McRae line was 8.5, 8, and 7.5 mm in the I, VE, and E groups, respectively. The M-PB-C2 line showed up-and-down dynamic change during early pediatric periods. CONCLUSION: Expansion of the spinal canal was restricted to the very early childhood period (less than 5 years) in the CVJ region; however, the C2 body and odontoid process increased continuously with age. The above results induced a dynamic change in the M-PB-C2 line. Although C2 longitudinal growth continued with age, the McRae line showed relatively little change.
Atlanto-Axial Joint ; Cohort Studies ; Epidural Space ; Humans ; Odontoid Process ; Spinal Canal ; Spine*

A ganglion cyst is a tumor-like lesion that contains mucous or myxoid material in the fibrous capsule. We report a case of ganglion cyst located in the lumbar anterior epidural space and causing lumbar radiculopathy. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed the cyst as a cystic lesion with wall en-hancement. Myelography showed that it was not filled with contrast medium and not connected with the dura, nerve root, or facet joint.
Epidural Space* ; Ganglion Cysts* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Myelography ; Radiculopathy ; Spinal Canal ; Zygapophyseal Joint