[Peridurograms in patients with lumbar disc herniations]

The epidural space lies between the dural tube and the inside wall of the spinal canal. It contains fibrous tissues which adhere snugly to both walls filling the dead space between them. In the space, there are a large number of venous vessels anteriorly, a little fat tissue posteriorly and nerve roots laterally. The space can be examined clinically by a peridurographic technique in which the epidural space is filled with an iodine contrast medium. In patients with lumbar intervertebral disc herniation (IDH), this examination is useful to determine the location of the prolapsed nucleus pulposus and the pathological adherent condition by the filling defect of contrast medium. For the purpose of determining the pathology of the prolapsed nucleus pulposus, peridurographic examinations were performed on 40 patients with IDH and the following results were obtained: 1) The existence and location of the IDH were shown by the peridurograms. 2) Adhesion around the involved and uninvolved nerve roots was shown in proportion to clinical symptoms.