title: Pneumorrhachis mimicking meningitis after a paramedian lumbar interlaminar injection.
abstract: We report a case of a 76-year-old female with chronic back pain owing to a degenerative disc disease at L5 to S1. She underwent a paramedian lumbar interlaminar injection in the prone position at the level of L5-S1 using loss of resistance technique and without fluoroscopic guidance. The patient was admitted to the intensive care unit on the day after the procedure with objective signs of meningeal irritation. A computed tomography scan of the spine showed presence of multiple air levels within the spinal canal. The patient's symptoms resolved spontaneously and she was discharged to home the next day.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Northwestern University, 251 E Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611, USA. G-jr@northwestern.edu
authors.forename: Gildasio S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: De Oliveira
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Charchaflieh
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Walega
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001416:Back Pain / Q000209:etiology; D002045:Bupivacaine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007278:Injections, Spinal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D055959:Intervertebral Disc Degeneration / Q000150:complications; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008581:Meningitis / Q000209:etiology*; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D008775:Methylprednisolone; D002045:Bupivacaine