Observational analysis highlights complications linked to unrecognized spinal pathologies in neuraxial anesthesia, suggesting a need for better assessments.
( Reg Anesth Pain Med . 2024;49:832–839. doi:10.1136/rapm-2023-105106) Neuraxial anesthesia and analgesia, including epidural and subarachnoid procedures, are commonly performed without imaging techniques like x-rays or epidurography. However, underlying spinal pathologies often remain undiagnosed, potentially leading to significant complications. Standard preoperative assessments typically include a medical history review and lack detailed spinal examinations or imaging evaluations. In contrast, pain clinics frequently employ a multidisciplinary approach involving anesthesiologists and neuroradiologists to thoroughly assess spinal conditions before performing invasive procedures.
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Avellanal et al. (2025) studied this question.
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