The contribution of needle size and other factors to headache following myelography.

The author performed a randomized prospective study of the effects of needle size and of age, sex, myelogram type and operators on the incidence of headache following myelography. In 113 patients randomized to 22 G and 25 G needle groups, data were obtained by questionnaire on the frequency of headache up to five days following the procedure. The influence of needle size was statistically insignificant (63%, 48%, p > 0.05). Age (p = 0.0002), sex (p = 0.01), myelogram type (p = 0.002) and myelographer (p = 0.03) significantly affected the frequency of headache. The size of the dural perforation appears to be less important than factors relating to age, sex, myelogram type and individual myelographers in the development of headache after myelography.