Fact-sheet: Epidural fibrosis post-operative
Updated on 09/17/2021 at 12:16 PM
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Definition
Epidural fibrosis is postoperative epidural scar tissue that may be retractile (pulling on the dural sac and nerve root) or hypertrophic (compressive).
Clinical features
Recurrence (or persistence) of radicular pain following surgical treatment of a herniated disc
MRI
Reference examination:
- Rules out a postoperative complication
- Rules out recurrent disc herniation
- Epidural fibrosis appears as a lesion of intermediate T1 and T2 signal in the epidural space at the operative level, generally enhancing after IV gadolinium injection
- Distension of the dural sac if retractile
Differential diagnosis
- Disc herniation
- Normal postoperative scarring