[Chronic adhesive leptomeningitis of the cauda equina as a cause of ischaemic disturbances (author's transl)].

An almost typical sciatic syndrome can be occasionally associated with a thickening of the leptomeninges, producing a type of chronic fibroplastic meningitis in the region of the cauda equina. We report here four personal cases, which showed atypical myelographic patterns. The roots of the cauda equina were compressed both by the cystic and by the fibrosing types. In the cases described, the removal of the altered leptomeninges under the operating microscope produced a satisfactory result. A completely symptomfree outcome can rarely be achieved, as the pathological tissue cannot be completely removed.