PAIN MANAGEMENT

CAUDAL EPIDURAL ADHESIOLYSIS

Caudal epidural adhesiolysis is a minimally invasive spinal procedure done for pain management. Inflammation in the epidural space can lead to the development of scar tissue which aggravates nearby nerve roots, causing intense and chronic pain that radiates from the lower back, down the legs.

While epidural injections may help with pain and inflammation, until the scar tissue is removed, pain and nerve root damage will continue to resurface. Caudal epidural adhesiolysis is a treatment used to break up and eliminate scar tissue within the spine to facilitate the spread of pain medications.

It can be used to alleviate chronic pain resulting from failed back (spinal) surgery as well as conditions such as:

• Radicular pain


• Spinal stenosis


• Spinal fracture pain

WHAT DOES CAUDAL EPIDURAL ADHESIOLYSIS INVOLVE?

Under sedation, Dr. Kolloori will use a real-time X-ray to locate the area in which the scar tissue has grown. By injecting a contrasting dye and using fluoroscopy (intraoperative x-ray), he will identify the area on which to perform the adhesiolysis.

A catheter will then be guided to this area and a steroid, as well as a combination of medications such as naropen, hypertonic saline and hyaluronidase, will be administered. The effects of a caudal epidural adhesiolysis as a pain management treatment may be felt for up to 12 months.