Spontaneous resolution of lumbar pseudomeningocoele.
METHODS
A case report of spontaneous resolution of a lumbar postdiscectomy pseudomeningocoele.


OBJECTIVE
To suggest the role of nonoperative treatment even in symptomatic pseudomeningocoeles.


METHODS
Withybush General Hospital, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, South Wales, UK.


METHODS
A 65-year-old lady underwent L4/L5 discectomy for lumbar disc prolapse in 1998. As the patient did not have relief of symptoms, an MRI was taken at 1 month following the operation, which showed a residual disc at L4/L5 and a pseudomeningocoele communicating with the subarachnoid space. The patient could not undergo further treatment because of the untimely demise of the surgeon. Over the next 3 months, the symptoms began to improve and the patient was totally asymptomatic and remained so for 3 years. In 2001, she was seen for a recurring leg pain and back pain and an MRI was done, which showed complete disappearance of the pseudomeningocoele but with recurrent disc lesion.


CONCLUSIONS
Although the current medical literature favours re-exploration and repair of the dural defect in symptomatic pseudomeningocoele, the authors are of the opinion that conservative treatment may have a role in the treatment of the above condition as illustrated by the above example.
Kumar
A J S
AJ
Department of Orthopaedics, Withybush Hospital, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, UK.
Nambiar
C S
CS
Kanse
P
P
D000368:Aged; D017586:Diskectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008588:Meningocele / Q000473:pathology*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000473:pathology*; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous