Lumbar Adhesive Arachnoiditis Following Attempted Epidural Anesthesia

A 30-year-old female experienced a sudden sharp pain radiating down to the left leg from the lower back at epidural intubation for anesthesia at childbirth. She continued to complain of pain in the left leg afterwards. Magnetic resonance images demonstrated a conglomeration of adherent nerve roots due to lumbar adhesive arachnoiditis. Microsurgical dissection of adherent nerve roots was performed. Her symptoms disappeared after surgery, but soon recurred, being less severe and responsive to anti-inflammatory agents. Lumbar adhesive arachnoiditis should be considered for differential diagnosis in patients presenting with back and leg pain syndrome.