Percutaneous epidural neuroplasty may lead to complications such as hematoma, infection, epidural abscess, meningitis, hypotension, respiratory depression, urinary and fecal dysfunction, sexual dysfunction and paresthesia. Other technical complications may include shearing or tearing, misplacement, blockage and migration of the catheter. We report a case of a 41-year-old female patient, who und...

OBJECTIVE To compare a newly developed minimally-invasive method for percutaneous transforaminal epidural injection (INJ group) with the existing method for lumbar epidural catheterization (CATH group). METHOD Through anatomical review of experimental rats, the cephalic one fourth of the neural foramen was selected as the target point for drug delivery. After the rats had undergone lumbar epi...

BACKGROUND Complications reported from percutaneous disc decompression (PDD) include discitis, anaphylaxis (with chemonucleolysis), instability, increased back pain, and reherniation. To the best of our knowledge, there is no report of epidural fibrosis occurring with any of the many types of PDD. OBJECTIVE To document a case of epidural fibrosis following PDD with coblation technology (Nucle...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Percutaneous epidural neuroplasty (epidural neurolysis, lysis of epidural adhesions) is an interventional pain management technique that has emerged over approximately the last 10 years as part of a multidisciplinary approach to treating radiculopathy with low back pain. In addition to local anesthetic and corticosteroid, hypertonic saline (10% NaCl) and hyaluronidase ...

BACKGROUND Chronic radicular pain can occur after disc pathology and failed back surgery. An evidence-based effective therapeutic option is not available nor does a gold standard exist. OBJECTIVES A randomized controlled trial to analyze the clinical efficacy of percutaneous epidural lysis of adhesions in chronic radicular pain. STUDY DESIGN Prospective randomized placebo controlled interve...

BACKGROUND Prior cardiac surgery, especially the presence of coronary artery bypass grafts, is thought to preclude percutaneous epicardial access (EpiAcc) and, therefore, mapping and ablation. We evaluated the feasibility and safety of EpiAcc in patients with a prior cardiac operation. METHODS AND RESULTS We retrospectively analyzed all patients who underwent EpiAcc for ablation for ventricul...