Traumatic extradural arachnoid cyst is a rare entity. However, late appearance of paraparesis due to formation of an extradural arachnoid cyst as a sequel of brachial plexus injury is extremely rare and the literature regarding this issue is scarce revealing only 11 cases. Herein, we report a patient with delayed progressive spastic paraparesis appearing after a multilevel brachial plexus root ...

We have studied the effect of extradural analgesia on postoperative venous thrombosis in patients undergoing knee arthroplasty. Forty-eight patients were allocated randomly to receive either general anaesthesia or extradural analgesia with local anaesthetics for 3 days. All patients wore compressive elastic stockings and no anticoagulant drugs were administered. Bilateral venography was perform...

We have investigated, in six healthy male volunteers, the effect of high thoracic extradural anaesthesia on the ventilatory pattern and hypercapnic ventilatory response. Ventilatory variables were determined using a respiratory inductive plethysmograph. Duration of inspiration, rib cage excursion and its contribution to tidal volume decreased significantly following extradural anaesthesia, whil...

A male patient presents with urinary incontinence worsening in the last year, shock sensation, symmetrical weakness and involuntary spasms lower limbs. He currently required double support to ambulate had no sphincter control. Neurological examination demonstrated limb hypertonia spastic paraplegia severe impairment of deep sensation painful muscle spasms. The normal body mass index laboratory ...

The Seldinger technique was developed using a plastic introducer through which introduction and manipulations of a silicone spinal catheter, an extradural stimulation lead or a small diameter fibreoptic scope are possible without the risk of damage to the vulnerable devices. It is not intended as a replacement of the standard technique of introducing a spinal catheter through a Tuohy needle in ...

This study was designed to observe the effects of i.v. fluid infusion on uterine activity during normal labour in women receiving an extradural block. Thirty-four women in spontaneous labour at term gestation were allocated randomly and prospectively to one of three i.v. pre-extradural fluid load groups: group A, no fluid load; group B, normal saline 500 ml; and group C, normal saline 1000 ml. ...

Catheters were inserted into the extradural space under direct vision at the time of surgery for prolapsed intervertebral disc or lumbar canal stenosis. In the post-operative period, diamorphine (3 mg in 5 ml water) was injected through the catheter when patients requested analgesia. In only four of 49 patients was significant pain relief not achieved after extradural diamorphine injection. In ...

We have investigated the hormonal and metabolic effects of thoracic extradural analgesia with bupivacaine in addition to sufentanil 20 micrograms kg-1 in nine patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery. A control group received general anaesthesia alone. The catecholamine response was inhibited for 24 h after surgery in patients who had received extradural analgesia, and the cortisol re...

We have studied the effects of extradural administration of 2% lignocaine at the L3-4 interspace on somatosensory evoked potentials recorded in the cervical extradural space before corrective surgery for idiopathic adolescent scoliosis. Eight patients in whom the equivalent volume of 0.9% sodium chloride solution was administered into the lumbar extradural space acted as a control group. Lignoc...