1/2. Epidural steroid injections in the treatment of symptomatic lumbar spinal stenosis associated with epidural lipomatosis.Epidural lipomatosis has been implicated as a cause or contributor of symptomatic lumbar spinal stenosis. Although epidural steroid injections have been very successful for symptomatic treatment of spinal stenosis; their role in treatment of symptomatic stenosis secondary to epidural lipomatosis is unclear. A review literature (medline, pubmed) found no reports justifying the use of steroids. We present two patients with lumbar epidural lipomatosis causing or contributing to symptomatic spinal stenosis. Both patients presented with unilateral lower limb radicular symptoms unrelieved with conservative measures such as medications and physical therapy. They were treated with a single transforaminal epidural steroid injection at the symptomatic level. Both had 80-85% pain relief. These reports suggest a beneficial role of epidural steroid injections for patients with symptomatic lumbar spinal stenosis caused by or contributing to epidural lipomatosis.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/2. Symptomatic epidural lipomatosis secondary to obesity. Case report.The authors present a case of thoracic spinal cord compression secondary to epidural lipomatosis in an obese patient. This patient represents the 10th case of epidural lipomatosis secondary to simple obesity reported in the literature. The diagnosis is based on three criteria: 1) medical history and physical examination consistent with segmental spinal cord compression; 2) epidural fat thickness greater than 7 mm in the region of compression, based on magnetic resonance imaging (preferred) or computerized tomographic imaging; and 3) a height-to-weight ratio greater than 27.5 kg/m2. This specific correlation between epidural fat thickness measurement and calculation of height-to-weight ratio has not previously been reported. Surgical decompression through a posterior laminectomy and excision of excess epidural fat resulted in immediate reversal of the patient's symptoms. knowledge of the association of epidural lipomatosis with obesity in the absence of glucocorticoid imbalance is important in discerning what may be an underrecognized syndrome.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |