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Thecal Sac
The thecal sac is the protective enclosing membrane which surrounds the
spinal cord
and
cauda equina.
This sac is filed with cerebral spinal fluid and is often featured prominently on
MRI
imaging reports for back pain patients. While most people are not sure exactly where this sac actually exists in the anatomy or what it does, they are very upset to see it implicated as being “compressed” or “impinged upon” on their MRI study…
Impinging on the Thecal Sac
A great number of MRI results state that a
bulging disc
or
herniated disc
is impinging upon the thecal membrane. Doctors often take this chance to justify treatment, since compression of any spinal structure must be really bad, right? Wrong. This protective sac is little more than a fluid filled membrane and it is not affected by herniations which efface it, abut it, compress it or impinge upon it. All of these terms are used interchangeably and mean virtually nothing… They certainly do not explain why a person may demonstrate
back pain…
Sac Purpose
The sac contains the spinal cord and eventually the cauda equina in the lumbar spine and insulates these structures from the rest of the
spinal anatomy.
It also encloses the cerebral spinal fluid, which is crucial for a proper functioning
spine.
It is this sac which is often damaged during
epidural injections
or
spinal surgery,
resulting in cerebral spinal fluid leaks, which can be problematic. Symptoms include chronic severe
headaches
and dizziness, among other concerns. Leaking spinal fluid is one of the many common complications of any invasive
back pain treatment.
Thecal Sac Information
It is crucial to know and understand that herniated discs which abut the thecal membrane are very different from those which compress the actual spinal cord. Sac compression or infringement diagnoses mean nothing and are not the source of pain. Severe sac compression, may limit proper circulation of cerebral spinal fluid, but these issues generally resolve without treatment. Central disc herniations have the best chance of impinging on this sac, but are not typically symptomatic or any need for concern.
Thecal Sac to Back Pain Home
1/27/10
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