Spinal adhesive arachnoiditis.

Forty-one cases of spinal adhesive arachnoiditis are presented. The key points are, first, that lumbar disc lesions, their investigations and surgical treatment and the use of nonabsorbable contrast materials are the most common etiological factors and, secondly, that operation is the best treatment. It is our contention that the majority of patients so treated do experience some improvement in what otherwise can be an unbearable amount of pain and disability. The use of adsorbable, nonirritative contrast materials such as Iohexol Parenteral will result in a marked reduction in the frequency of occurrence of arachnoiditis.