title: Acute motor weakness of opposite lower extremity after percutaneous epidural neuroplasty.
abstract: Recently, percutaneous epidural neuroplasty has become widely used to treat radicular pain caused by spinal stenosis or a herniated intervertebral disc. A 19-year-old female patient suffering from left radicular pain caused by an L4-L5 intervertebral disc herniation underwent percutaneous epidural neuroplasty of the left L5 nerve root using a Racz catheter. After the procedure, the patient complained of acute motor weakness in the right lower leg, on the opposite site to where the neuroplasty was conducted. Emergency surgery was performed, and swelling of the right L5 nerve root was discovered. The patient recovered her motor and sensory functions immediately after the surgery. Theoretically, the injection of a large volume of fluid in a patient with severe spinal stenosis during epidural neuroplasty can increase the pressure on the opposite side of the epidural space, which may cause injury of the opposite nerve by barotrauma from a closed compartment. Practitioners should be aware of this potential complication.
authors: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Kwangju Christian Hospital, Gwangju, Korea.
authors: Yong Seok
authors: YS
authors: Lim
authors: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Chosun University Hospital, Gwangju, Korea.
authors: Ki Tea
authors: KT
authors: Jung
authors: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Kwangju Christian Hospital, Gwangju, Korea.
authors: Cheon Hee
authors: CH
authors: Park
authors: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Gwangju Saewoori Spine Hospital, Gwangju, Korea.
authors: Sang Woo
authors: SW
authors: Wee
authors: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Gwangju Saewoori Spine Hospital, Gwangju, Korea.
authors: Sung Sik
authors: SS
authors: Sin
authors: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Gwangju Saewoori Spine Hospital, Gwangju, Korea.
authors: Joon
authors: J
authors: Kim
keywords: Epidural; Herniation; Monoplegia; Neuroplasty; Radicular pain; Stenosis