title: Motor Weakness after Caudal Epidural Injection Using the Air-acceptance Test.
abstract: Air injected into the epidural space may spread along the nerves of the paravertebral space. Depending on the location of the air, neurologic complications such as multiradicular syndrome, lumbar root compression, and even paraplegia may occur. However, cases of motor weakness caused by air bubbles after caudal epidural injection are rare. A 44-year-old female patient received a caudal epidural injection after an air-acceptance test. Four hours later, she complained of motor weakness in the right lower extremity and numbness of the S1 dermatome. Magnetic resonance imaging showed no anomalies other than an air bubble measuring 13 mm in length and 0.337 ml in volume positioned near the right S1 root. Her symptoms completely regressed within 48 hours.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Mi Hyeon
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Cheol Sig
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Sang Hoon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jeong Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Eun Mi
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Young Ryong
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Mi Hwa
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Chung
keywords: caudal epidural block; complications; epidural air; epidural injection