Korean J Anesthesiol.  2003 Dec;45(6):779-783. 10.4097/kjae.2003.45.6.779.

Transient Asymptomatic Intraspinal Cyst-like Lesion with Epidural Nerve Block

• Jo DH
• Ryu KA

• KMID: 2039748
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4097/kjae.2003.45.6.779

Abstract

The administration of local anesthetics or steroids via the lumbar approach to the epidural space is one of the most common procedures performed in contemporary pain management by the pain specialist. This technique is useful in a variety of chronic benign pain syndromes, including lumbar radiculopathy, low back syndrome, spinal stenosis, and vertebral compression fractures. Given the increased number of epidural nerve blocks being performed, some have reported unexpected complications of a transient or permanent nature and of varying degrees of severity. However, no case report has been issued that includes objective magnetic resonance imaging data showing a transient asymptomatic intraspinal cyst-like lesion after epidural nerve block. We experienced a case of a transient asymptomatic intraspinal cyst-like lesion after administering an epidural steroid and local anesthetic injection to a 59 year old female patient suffering from a back pain with multiple old vertebral compression fractures and herniated intervertebral discs. The intraspinal cyst-like lesion was found incidentally by magnetic resonance imaging after an epidural nerve block. We report upon this case and provide subjective data.

Keyword

complication; cystic lesion; epidural block

MeSH Terms

Anesthetics, Local
Back Pain
Epidural Space
Female
Fractures, Compression
Humans
Intervertebral Disc
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Middle Aged
Nerve Block*
Pain Management
Radiculopathy
Specialization
Spinal Stenosis
Steroids
Anesthetics, Local
Steroids