Myeloscopic observation of adhesive arachnoiditis in patients with lumbar spinal canal stenosis

In this study a myeloscope was used to assess the influence of adhesive arachnoiditis on the surgical outcome of patients with lumbar spinal canal stenosis (LSS). The presence or absence and the degree of the complication of adhesive arachnoiditis were preoperatively determined by myeloscopy in 36 patients with LSS, and these findings were compared with the postoperative results. Various degrees of adhesive changes in the cauda equina were observed in all 36 patients. Patients with marked adhesions, which may indicate a blocked cauda equina, had distinctly worse operative results than did patients with slight or moderate adhesions. Adhesive arachnoiditis was considered to be one of the causes for the poor operative results for LSS. Myeloscopy is useful in diagnosing the morbid condition of the cauda equina in LSS, and for predicting the operative results.