Korean J Pain.  2006 Jun;19(1):101-103. 10.3344/kjp.2006.19.1.101.

Experience of Administering Oral Prostaglandin E1 for Failed Back Surgery Syndrome: A case report

• Lee HK
• Woo SH
• Lee WY

• KMID: 2278025
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3344/kjp.2006.19.1.101

Abstract

Oral prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) is a medicine that is clinically applied during a treatment of patients suffering with vascular disease with chronic arterial obstruction because it has vasodilation and anti-platelet effects. The mechanisms of lumbosacral symptoms associated with spinal stenosis probably include vascular insufficiency with hypoxic injury to the cauda equina and the nerve roots. Thus, increasing the blood supply would be beneficial to improve the pathophysiologic condition. Several studies on the improvement of clinical symptoms of spinal stenosis by PGE1 treatment have been reported on. In this case, 47-year old female underwent posterior compression and posterolateral fusion with a cage at L2-4 due to L3 compression fracture, and she did not show improvement of the radiating pain of her right leg after the operation. Therefore, she received repetitive epidural catheterization and adhesiolysis, epidural block and physical therapy, but her symptoms deteriorated after temporary improvement. Finally, she was given PGE1 and the radiculopathy was completely improved, although some muscle weakness still remained.

Keyword

failed back surgery syndrome; lumbosacral symptoms; prostaglandin E1; radiculopathy; spinal stenosis

MeSH Terms

Alprostadil*
Catheterization
Catheters
Cauda Equina
Failed Back Surgery Syndrome*
Female
Fractures, Compression
Humans
Leg
Middle Aged
Muscle Weakness
Radiculopathy
Spinal Stenosis
Vascular Diseases
Vasodilation
Alprostadil