[Ambulatory myelography using iohexol (Omnipaque): methods and results].

Outpatient myelography with iohexol (Omnipaque) was performed in 150 patients. Side effects were noted in 28 patients (19%), with only 3 (2%) major complaints. It concerned 2 patients with severe and prolonged headache and one patient with seizures. Side effects were not more frequent in outpatient myelography than in reported series of hospitalized patients. The frequency of side effects was significantly lower with the use of iohexol than in comparable studies with metrizamide. Headache was the most frequent side effect, followed by an increase or exacerbation of ischiatiform pain, nausea and vomiting. Side effects were slightly more frequent in cervical myelography than in lumbar myelography and were not related to underlying pathology. It is concluded that outpatient myelography is feasable for as far as iohexol is used and patient surveillance is carefully organized.