The lumbar extradural structure changes with increasing age.
We have examined the extradural space using a flexible extraduroscope in 74 patients undergoing extradural anaesthesia at the L2-3 interspace. Extraduroscopy showed that the extradural space becomes widely patent and the fatty tissue in the extradural space diminishes with increasing age. We postulate that these age-related structural changes may affect the spread of local anaesthetic in the extradural space.
Igarashi
T
T
Department of Anaesthesiology, Jichi Medical School, Tochigi-ken, Japan.
Hirabayashi
Y
Y
Shimizu
R
R
Saitoh
K
K
Fukuda
H
H
Mitsuhata
H
H
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D000767:Anesthesia, Epidural; D004724:Endoscopy; D004824:Epidural Space / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012039:Regional Blood Flow