Air Embolus to Arachnoid Cyst as a Rare Delayed Complication of Intrathecal Medication Delivery

作者：Atencio Daniela C; Gachiani John M; Richter Erich O^*

来源：Neuromodulation, 2012, 15(1): 35-37.

DOI：10.1111/j.1525-1403.2011.00403.x

• arachnoid cyst
• CSF loculation
• intrathecal medication
• pain management
• pain pump

Introduction: Intrathecal (IT) medication delivery is a commonly used technique for the treatment of chronic intractable pain. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) loculation at the catheter tip has been described as a cause of progressive loss of drug effect that can often be difficult to diagnose. %26lt;br%26gt;Methods: The clinical course of a 56-year-old woman was reviewed, including past imaging studies. %26lt;br%26gt;Results: The patient presented with acute lower extremity paresis secondary to air trapped within an arachnoid cyst thought to be due to long-term use of IT morphine and an undiagnosed CSF loculation. She rapidly recovered after surgical decompression. %26lt;br%26gt;Discussion: Symptomatic pneumorachis is rare. In this case, because of radiographically impressive compression and severe deficit, we felt that the trapped air was equivalent to a mass lesion and treated it aggressively. The arachnoid cyst was near the level of the catheter tip prior to revision, and we have retrospectively inferred a causal relationship.

• 出版日期2012-2