SURGICAL-TREATMENT OF THORACIC ARACHNOIDITIS WITH MULTIPLE SUBARACHNOID CYSTS CAUSED BY EPIDURAL-ANESTHESIA

We report on a 36 year-old woman who had sensorimotor and sphincter dy sfunction 0.5 day after having an epidural anesthesia to deliver her b aby. The patients' neurological deficits recovered gradually and she c ould walk without support 1.5 months after the operation. However, her neurological function deteriorated 4 months after anesthesia and a ma gnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study revealed spinal arachnoiditis wit h multiple subarachnoid cysts al the T5-7 levels. Surgical treatment c onsisted of lysis of adhesions and wide opening of the subarachnoid cy sts. Her motor function improved after operation and she could walk wi thout support after a 1 year follow-up. However, her sphincter and sen sory abnormalities persisted for the most part. The literature on the surgical treatment of arachnoiditis with myelopathy is reviewed and th e surgical indications are discussed. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.