Retained surgical swab debris in post-laminectomy arachnoiditis and peridural fibrosis

J. A. Hoyland; A. J. Freemont; J. Denton; A. M C Thomas; J. J. McMillan; M. I V Jayson

Retained surgical swab debris in post-laminectomy arachnoiditis and peridural fibrosis

J. A. Hoyland, A. J. Freemont, J. Denton, A. M C Thomas, J. J. McMillan, M. I V Jayson

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

We examined soft tissue biopsies from 26 patients with symptomatic nerve root fibrosis and arachnoiditis after a previous laminectomy. Dense fibrous connective tissue was found about the nerve roots and in 14 cases (55%) fibrillar foreign material was seen within it. This material had the histochemical characteristics of cotton fibres from swabs and neurosurgical patties. In two other cases nerve root fibrosis was associated with residual radiopaque lipid thought to derive from earlier myelography. Our findings suggest that risks may be associated with the introduction of foreign material into the vertebral canal, and that microscopic fragments of surgical swabs and patties may have a role in the pathogenesis of postoperative periradicular fibrosis.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	659-662
Number of pages	3
Journal	Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery - Series B
Volume	70
Issue number	4
Publication status	Published - 1988

Keywords

Adult
Aged
etiology: Arachnoiditis
Biopsy
pathology: Dura Mater
Female
etiology: Fibrosis
complications: Foreign Bodies
Humans
surgery: Intervertebral Disk
adverse effects: Laminectomy
Male
Middle Aged
pathology: Spinal Nerve Roots

Cite this

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title = "Retained surgical swab debris in post-laminectomy arachnoiditis and peridural fibrosis",

abstract = "We examined soft tissue biopsies from 26 patients with symptomatic nerve root fibrosis and arachnoiditis after a previous laminectomy. Dense fibrous connective tissue was found about the nerve roots and in 14 cases (55%) fibrillar foreign material was seen within it. This material had the histochemical characteristics of cotton fibres from swabs and neurosurgical patties. In two other cases nerve root fibrosis was associated with residual radiopaque lipid thought to derive from earlier myelography. Our findings suggest that risks may be associated with the introduction of foreign material into the vertebral canal, and that microscopic fragments of surgical swabs and patties may have a role in the pathogenesis of postoperative periradicular fibrosis.",

keywords = "Adult, Aged, etiology: Arachnoiditis, Biopsy, pathology: Dura Mater, Female, etiology: Fibrosis, complications: Foreign Bodies, Humans, surgery: Intervertebral Disk, adverse effects: Laminectomy, Male, Middle Aged, pathology: Spinal Nerve Roots",

author = "Hoyland, {J. A.} and Freemont, {A. J.} and J. Denton and Thomas, {A. M C} and McMillan, {J. J.} and Jayson, {M. I V}",

year = "1988",

language = "English",

volume = "70",

pages = "659--662",

journal = "Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery - Series B",

publisher = "British Editorial Society of Bone and Joint Surgery",

number = "4",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Retained surgical swab debris in post-laminectomy arachnoiditis and peridural fibrosis

AU - Hoyland, J. A.

AU - Freemont, A. J.

AU - Denton, J.

AU - Thomas, A. M C

AU - McMillan, J. J.

AU - Jayson, M. I V

PY - 1988

Y1 - 1988

N2 - We examined soft tissue biopsies from 26 patients with symptomatic nerve root fibrosis and arachnoiditis after a previous laminectomy. Dense fibrous connective tissue was found about the nerve roots and in 14 cases (55%) fibrillar foreign material was seen within it. This material had the histochemical characteristics of cotton fibres from swabs and neurosurgical patties. In two other cases nerve root fibrosis was associated with residual radiopaque lipid thought to derive from earlier myelography. Our findings suggest that risks may be associated with the introduction of foreign material into the vertebral canal, and that microscopic fragments of surgical swabs and patties may have a role in the pathogenesis of postoperative periradicular fibrosis.

AB - We examined soft tissue biopsies from 26 patients with symptomatic nerve root fibrosis and arachnoiditis after a previous laminectomy. Dense fibrous connective tissue was found about the nerve roots and in 14 cases (55%) fibrillar foreign material was seen within it. This material had the histochemical characteristics of cotton fibres from swabs and neurosurgical patties. In two other cases nerve root fibrosis was associated with residual radiopaque lipid thought to derive from earlier myelography. Our findings suggest that risks may be associated with the introduction of foreign material into the vertebral canal, and that microscopic fragments of surgical swabs and patties may have a role in the pathogenesis of postoperative periradicular fibrosis.

KW - Adult

KW - Aged

KW - etiology: Arachnoiditis

KW - Biopsy

KW - pathology: Dura Mater

KW - Female

KW - etiology: Fibrosis

KW - complications: Foreign Bodies

KW - Humans

KW - surgery: Intervertebral Disk

KW - adverse effects: Laminectomy

KW - Male

KW - Middle Aged

KW - pathology: Spinal Nerve Roots

M3 - Article

C2 - 3403620

VL - 70

SP - 659

EP - 662

JO - Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery - Series B

JF - Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery - Series B

IS - 4

ER -

Retained surgical swab debris in post-laminectomy arachnoiditis and peridural fibrosis

Abstract

Keywords

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