Arachnoiditis

Arachnoiditis is a neuropathic disease where the arachnoid, one of the membranes surrounding the central nervous system, becomes inflamed. This can happen as a result of injury to the spine, chronic compression of the nerves in the spine, or because of irritation from chemicals or infection. Some of our patients come to us after they developed arachnoiditis from open back surgery they had elsewhere.

The inflammation can also cause scar tissue that causes spinal nerves to stick together. Arachnoiditis has numerous symptoms, including numbness, tingling, and stinging or burning pain the the lower back or legs. It can also affect bladder, sexual and bowel function, or cause extreme muscle cramps or spasms. If it is severe enough, it can paralyze the legs and feet.

Arthroscopic Surgery and Arachnoiditis

Doctors generally agree that arachnoiditis is difficult to treat and has no cure. Long-term prognosis is hard to predict. Most medical professionals treat it by managing pain and helping patients to improve the symptoms that interfere with their everyday functioning. While surgery is usually not recommended, at The Bonati Institute, we offer minimally invasive procedures that are more successful than traditional surgery.

Performed as an outpatient procedure, our surgery requires very little downtime, reduced bleeding, and faster healing. For arachnoiditis, we can remove scar tissue to free pinched nerves or those that adhere together. We can also remove bone spurs or growths to enable flexibility. If you would like more information about our procedures, please contact us today for details.