Lumbar Radiculopathy Caused by Epidural Gas Collection
Dong Hu1, Kai Xu1, Songhua Xiao1
1Department of Orthopedic, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
Case Reports in Orthopedics
|June 9, 2022
Summary
Lumbar radiculopathy caused by epidural gas collection is rare. A case report details successful treatment via needle puncture, relieving leg symptoms in a 59-year-old woman.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Spinal Surgery
- Radiology
Background:
- Degenerative changes in lumbar intervertebral discs often present with vacuum phenomenon.
- Gas formation within the disc can, in rare instances, migrate into the spinal canal.
- This migration can lead to nerve root compression, causing lumbar radiculopathy.
Observation:
- A 59-year-old woman presented with lumbar radiculopathy attributed to an epidural gas collection.
- The gas collection appeared to originate from a degenerated intervertebral disc and migrated posteriorly.
- Imaging suggested a communication between the disc and the epidural space.
Findings:
- The patient's lumbar radiculopathy symptoms were caused by a large epidural gas collection compressing a nerve root.
- Needle puncture of the gas-filled cyst released the pressure.
- Surgical intervention resulted in significant relief of the patient's leg pain.
Implications:
- This case highlights a rare cause of lumbar radiculopathy.
- It suggests a potential mechanism of gas migration from degenerated discs to the epidural space.
- Minimally invasive procedures like needle puncture may offer effective treatment for this condition.
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