[Cervical root avulsion in metrizamide myelography]

Abstract

Until now, the demonstration of cervical root pockets after root avulsion by means of the oily contrast medium Pantopaque has been considered to be the method of choice. Since Pantopaque usually cannot be completely tapped from the cerebrospinal fluid space and the authors have gained comprehensive and good experiences with the new water-soluble contrast medium Amipaque we have used this also for the demonstration of such empty root pockets. Technically, we have used the lateral cervical fluid space puncture between the first and the second cervical vertebra. The patient is placed in a lateral position, the pelvis slightly elevated and the head padded with a pillow. The cervical vertebral column is thus given a slightly lateral curvature, the root pockets from the deepest point, so that the contrast medium Metrizamide can run into them. Sometimes tomography is used. When treating a baby, the lateral cervical puncture was performed with the patient lying in a prone position, so that the root pockets could be demonstrated on both sides.