Measurement of shift of the cauda equina in the subarachnoid space by changing position.

Background And Objectives: To perform spinal anesthesia, patients are usually placed in the lateral decubitus position with the knees drawn up to the stomach, the legs fully flexed, and the neck flexed to curve the back outward. Because the nerve roots of the cauda equina have considerable mobility in the subarachnoid space, the position of the cauda equina in the lateral decubitus position may be different from that in the supine position. However, the anatomic position of the cauda equina in the lateral decubitus position with fully flexed legs has not been carefully studied.

[Morphological findings in MRI to be considered in perfoming spinal and epidural anesthesia].

The spinal cord and cauda equina move in the subarachnoid space by changing positions. The subarachnoid space is compressed from the dorsal side by epidural injection. At the end of gestation, the subarachnoid space is compressed from the ventral side by the engorged venous plexus.

[Insertion of an epidural catheter from the surgical wound for postoperative analgesia--a case report].

A 62-year-old male was scheduled for discectomy for lumbar disc herniation. He had bronchial asthma, and his asthma was induced by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. We decided to use continuous epidural block for postoperative analgesia.