• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• 제13권1호
• /
• pp.130-133
• /
• 2000

Epiduroscopy is a new imaging and invasive technique that has become increasingly popular in the diagnosis and therapy of spinal pain syndrome. However, the risk of epiduroscopy is a major concern due to its invasiveness. The complications include hematoma, infection, neural damage, cardiac failure and raising of intracranial pressure. We have experienced a case of severe diffuse headache and dizziness following 1 day after epiduroscopy. Emergent brain MRI finding has no remarkable sign. The patient was admitted for 5 days to be treated with bed rest, adequate hydration and pain control with analgesics. After the treatments, she was recovered without residual sequelae and discharged. We need to take greater care of the undesirable effects detected intra- and post epiduroscopy, especially sign of increased intracranial pressure. Therefore, close monitoring of intracranial pressure is necessary during epiduroscopy.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• 제31권4호
• /
• pp.296-304
• /
• 2018

Epiduroscopy is defined as a percutaneous, minimally invasive endoscopic investigation of the epidural space. Periduroscopy is currently used mainly as a diagnostic tool to directly visualize epidural adhesions in patients with failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS), and as a therapeutic action in patients with low back pain by accurately administering drugs, releasing inflammation, washing the epidural space, and mechanically releasing the scars displayed. Considering epiduroscopy a minimally invasive technique should not lead to underestimating its potential complications. The purpose of this review is to summarize and explain the mechanisms of the side effects strictly related to the technique itself, leaving aside complications considered typical for any kind of extradural procedure (e.g. adverse reactions due to the administration of drugs or bleeding) and not fitting the usual concept of epiduroscopy for which the data on its real usefulness are still lacking. The most frequent complications and side effects of epiduroscopy can be summarized as non-persistent post-procedural low back and/or leg discomfort/pain, transient neurological symptoms (headache, hearing impairment, paresthesia), dural puncture with or without post dural puncture headache (PDPH), post-procedural visual impairment with retinal hemorrhage, encephalopathy resulting in rhabdomyolysis due to a dural tear, intradural cyst, as well as neurogenic bladder and seizures. We also report for first time, to our knowledge, a case of symptomatic pneumocephalus after epiduroscopy, and try to explain the reason for this event and the precautions to avoid this complication.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• 제10권2호
• /
• pp.270-273
• /
• 1997

Caudal epiduroscopy has been introduced as an alternative technique for direct injection of epidural steroid and lysis of adhesion. Futher, it gives a better understanding of the role of epidural adhesion in recurrence of sciatica and low back disorder after surgery. We experienced a clinical application of flexible fiberoptic epiduroscope inserted through the sacral canal. A 37-year-old woman was suffering from right lumbar radiculopathy after an operation for a herniated disc. A series of volumetric caudal steroid injections and physical therapy had little effect on her symptoms. Patient was thought to be a good candidate for epiduroscopy. Flexible flberoptic epiduroscopy was as follows: 60 ml of normal saline irrigation and epidurogram, 40 mg of triamcinolone in 10m1 of normal saline was directed around right L5 nerve root. The following morning, patient reported reduced pain in her leg.