REVIEW PAPER
Percutaneous epidural adhesiolysis – treatment method for drug-resistant back pain
 
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1
Independent Researcher
 
2
Department of Developmental Neurology, Chair of Neurology, Medical University of Gdańsk, Poland
 
3
Department of Neurosurgery, Copernicus Hospital Gdansk, Poland
 
4
Department of Functional Diagnostics and Kinesiology, Gdansk University of Physical Education and Sport, Gdansk
 
5
Department of Psychology and Social Sciences in Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Collegium Medicum, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland
 
 
Submission date: 2021-05-12
 
 
Final revision date: 2021-07-29
 
 
Acceptance date: 2021-07-29
 
 
Online publication date: 2021-09-27
 
 
Corresponding author
Mateusz Maciej Węclewicz   

Department of Neurosurgery, Copernicus Hospital Gdansk, Nowe Ogrody 1–6, 80-803 Gdańsk, Poland. Tel.: +48 587 640 563.
 
 
Pol. Ann. Med. 2021;28(2):250-255
 
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Introduction:
Percutaneous epidural adhesiolysis (epidural decompressive neuroplasty, percutaneous epidural neuroplasty) is treatment method for drug-resistant back pain, including post-surgery syndrome, sciatica or spinal canal stenosis.

Aim:
To describe the method and outcomes of epidural adhesiolysis.

Material and methods:
The review of the literature on the topic of epidural adhesiolysis.

Results and discussion:
This procedure is usually performed in the lumbo-sacral part of the spine, although it can be also done in the cervical or thoracic parts as well. Its purpose is to administer anesthetic drugs, steroids, saline solution or hyaluronidase into the epidural space via one of the three approaches: caudal, interlaminar and transforaminal. The efficacy of epidural adhesiolysis was proven in numerous randomized controlled trials.

Conclusions:
The efficacy of epidural adhesiolysis was proven in numerous randomized controlled trials. When performed by an experienced physician, epidural adhesiolysis is a safe and effective method with infrequent adverse events.

FUNDING
None declared.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
None declared.
 
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