Occult Spinal Dysraphism: A Challenge in Pain Management

Spina bifida is a common birth defect affecting the central nervous system and represents a group of neural tube defects caused by congenital dysraphic malformations of the vertebral column and/or spinal cord. The anatomy in these patients is challenging and includes structural and vascular abnormalities including arteriovenous malformation or fistulae, and fatty substitution of paravertebral tissues. A magnetic resonance image (MRI) is needed for management of patients with lumbar radiculopathy and clinical features suspicious of occult spinal dysraphism. Risks and benefits of lumbar epidural steroids should be discussed comprehensively with those patients and in the best case scenario be avoided. Occult spinal dysraphism poses a clinical dilemma for interventional pain specialists managing those patients with lumbar radiculopathy. We report a case of occult spinal dysraphism discovered following the development of post-traumatic radicular symptoms.