How do you lose epidural fat?

How do you lose epidural fat?

The first-line treatment for idiopathic epidural lipomatosis has been weight loss and exercise therapy. Conservative therapy involves the discontinuation of steroid treatment and weight loss in those with exposure to exogenous steroids and in obese patients, respectively.

What is epidural fat in the spinal canal?

Epidural fat is adipose tissue located within the epidural space, that is, the area located between the dura mater and the vertebral wall of the spine. Epidural fat increases proximally to distally in the lumbar spinal canal [1,2].

What is the function of the epidural fat?

The epidural fat appears to perform two functions: (1) it serves as a shock absorber for the other contents of the epidural space as well as the dura and the contents of the dural sac; and (2) it serves as a depot for drugs injected into the cervical epidural space.

Are there veins in epidural space?

The epidural space exists between the dura and ligamentum flavum. The epidural space contains fat, veins, spinal arteries, and lymphatics. The epidural veins are a part of the large internal vertebral venous plexus, which communicates with the occipital, sigmoid and basilar sinuses superiorly in the cranium.

Why is an epidural given in the epidural space?

An epidural injection is an injection of medication into the space around the spinal cord, also known as the epidural space, to provide temporary or prolonged relief from pain or inflammation. The epidural space is the outermost part of the spinal canal.

What causes epidural lipomatosis?

Exogenous steroid use is the most common cause of epidural lipomatosis (non-neoplastic overgrowth of adipose tissue within the epidural space of spinal canal[1]) and accounts for about 55% of cases. [2] The less common causes are obesity (25%), Cushing’s syndrome (3%) and idiopathic (17%).

What is unique about the epidural space?

The epidural space contains fat, veins, arteries, spinal nerve roots and lymphatics. The fat in the epidural space helps absorb shock, which protects the other contents in the area, as well as the dura. The dura is the outermost layer of the covering, called the meninges, that surrounds the spinal cord.

Why is it called epidural?

Epidural administration (from Ancient Greek ἐπί, “on, upon” + dura mater) is a method of medication administration in which a medicine is injected into the epidural space around the spinal cord.