Relief of Lower Back and Leg Pain after Myelography

INTRODUCTION: It is well-known that many patients will have adverse reactions such as headache and nausea after undergoing myelography, but we have often seen cases where symptoms such as lower back pain and leg pain were alleviated following myelography. To the best of our knowledge, such clinical cases of post-myelographic alleviation have not been reported. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 325 patients with a degenerative lumbar spinal disorder who underwent myelography were prospectively investigated at four hospitals from April 2012 to March 2014 to survey the post-myelographic alleviation of lower back and leg pain prospectively. The severities of lower back pain, leg pain and numbness of the lower extremities were evaluated and intermittent claudication distance was measured before myelography. The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings and myelographic findings were also evaluated for the patients that their symptoms were improved. RESULTS: Thirty-five of 325 cases (10.8%) of these patients had their symptoms alleviated after undergoing myelography; 26 cases of lower back pain, two cases of leg pain, two cases of numbness of the lower extremity, and five cases of intermittent claudication. CONCLUSION: In the patients of a degenerative lumbar spinal disorder, about 10% cases with lower back pain or intermittent claudication had post-myelographic alleviation. Intradural injection therapy might be a therapeutic method to alleviate these symptoms.