Complications of lumbosacral epiduroscopy

Abstract Objectives: To describe the reported and potential complications of epiduroscopy. Materials and methods: Sources of information included the authors' extensive experience with epiduroscopy and their publications related to the topic. A Google search was done to identify recent publications not known to the authors. Results: The literature contains descriptions of a variety of potential complications from minor and transient to life-threatening and permanent. The complications of greatest concern are those related to the injection of relative or absolute large volumes of fluid into the epidural space and those related to instrumentation such as entry into the wrong tissue plane. Discussion: The literature documents the safety of lumbosacral epiduroscopy. As with other technically demanding procedures, the likelihood of complications decline as the operator gains experience and as awareness of potential complications and how to avoid them become known.