THE CONTRIBUTION OF NEEDLE SIZE AND OTHER FACTORS TO HEADACHE FOLLOWING MYELOGRAPHY

The author performed a randomized prospective study of the effects of needle size and of age, sex, myelogram type and operators on the incid ence of headache following myelography. In 113 patients randomized to 22 G and 25 G needle groups, data were obtained by questionnaire on th e frequency of headache up to five days following the procedure. The i nfluence of needle size was statistically insignificant (63 %, 48 %, p > 0.05). Age (p = 0.0002), sex (p = 0.01), myelogram type (p = 0.002) and myelographer (p = 0.03) significantly affected the frequency of h eadache. The size of the dural perforation appears to be less importan t than factors relating to age, sex, myelogram type and individual mye lographers in the development of headache after myelography.