Surgical treatment of lumbar epidural varices

Object An epidural varix of the lumbar spine is an acquired pathological entity that results from dilation of the internal vertebral venous plexus. The dilated veins in the epidural spaces or in the intervertebral foramen cause irritation or compression of the thecal sac and nerve roots, and this in turn causes lumbar radiculopathy. The lesions develop as an independent process or are accompanied by degenerative changes of the lumbar spine. Resection of varicose veins can be complicated when significant venous bleeding occurs. The purpose of the present study was to develop diagnostic criteria for lumbar epidural varices and methods of surgical treatment and to analyze the results of treatment. Methods There were 43 surgically treated patients in whom lumbar radiculopathy was caused by epidural varices. The mean duration of symptoms was 11 months (range 5–49 months) and the mean age of the patients was 41 years (range 26–68 years). Segmentary varices were found in 14 patients, local varices in 21, and ext...