Emergency War Surgery NATO Handbook: Part IV: Regional Wounds and Injuries: Chapter XXXIII: Wounds and Injuries of the Spinal Column and Cord

Myelography

United States Department of Defense

The use of metrizamide myelography is indicated in the following situations:

1. Patients with incomplete injuries who demonstrate neurologic deterioration upon serial reassessment.

2. Patients with an incomplete neurological injury who require surgery for spine stabilization or other procedures.

3. Patients with incomplete injuries who fail to improve following closed reduction.

4. Patients with progressive neurological improvement followed by the sudden appearance of a neurological plateau.

5. Patients with neurological injury without evidence of vertebral column injury.

Myelography is not advisable in neurologically complete injuries. If performed, and found abnormal in the patient with absent neurological function below the level of injury, a tendency exists for the obstruction to be surgically "relieved." Neurological improvement seldom follows operation and may contribute to mechanical instability of the spine. Thus, knowledge of an obstruction to the flow of contrast material serves no beneficial function.

Approved for public release; Distribution is unlimited.

The listing of any non-Federal product in this CD is not an endorsement of the product itself, but simply an acknowledgement of the source. 

Operational Medicine 2001

Health Care in Military Settings

This web version is provided by The Brookside Associates Medical Education Division.  It contains original contents from the official US Navy NAVMED P-5139, but has been reformatted for web access and includes advertising and links that were not present in the original version. This web version has not been approved by the Department of the Navy or the Department of Defense. The presence of any advertising on these pages does not constitute an endorsement of that product or service by either the US Department of Defense or the Brookside Associates. The Brookside Associates is a private organization, not affiliated with the United States Department of Defense.

Contact Us  ·  ·  Other Brookside Products