LUMBO-RADICULAR PAIN DUE TO EPIDURAL LIPOMATOSIS IN AN OBESE INDIVIDUAL - RECOVERY AFTER CALORIE-CONTROLLED DIET

The case reported concerns an obese patient suffering from lumbo-radic ular intermittent claudication due to lumbar epidural lipomatosis. Com pression was revealed by magnetic resonance imaging which showed the e xistence of a hypersignal in weighted sequences in T1 situated in the epidural space and narrowing the dural sheath. Three cases of lumbar e pidural lipomatosis related to obesity have already been described. Tr eatment in all three was surgical with the result assessed as good in one case and poor in two. The interest of the present case is demonstr ation of the cause and effect relationship between epidural lipomatosi s and obesity as shown by complete restoration of the epidural space a fter a calorie-controlled diet, and the possibility of successful trea tment by this technique.