Diagnosis
of arachnoiditis and Tarlov cysts

The aseptic Arachnoiditis is harder to diagnose than the Tarlov cysts. The latter have a clearly visible morphological display (the cysts) in the MRI picture. In the acute phase, the Arachnoiditis is visible with indirect signs in the early stages and rarely in the later stages using for example contrast agents in the Leptomeninges. The classification of the stages is performed using the ‘Hoffmann Stage I-IV’ scale. The disease not necessarily follows all the stages to the highest one. It often remains in one.

If the image (MRI) is questionable, if the symptoms can be caused by other, more common diseases, a thorough examination and a detailed research into the history of the various symptoms is needed to perform the diagnosis.

We have often observed that several years can pass by between the event that is the cause of the disease and the first sign of symptoms. This may be due to the very slow metabolic rate of the Leptomeninges.

So many questions remain unanswered as far the cause of origination is concerned. Worldwide many known causes of an aseptic Arachnoiditis in people is occurring in the field of medical procedures, such as lumbar punctures, epidural anesthesia during operations and cortisone shots in pain management. But only a very small number of patients (thousandth part) develop this rare disease. This points to the assumption that at least one additional factor should be present that leads to the disease in combination with the original event that caused it.

There is reason to presume that it may be an auto-immune aggressive process, which could either be a genetic predisposition or an adopted peculiarity of the immune system which permits this chronic inflammation process against the endogenic structure.

Research in this area is not very advanced. The goal of our efforts is to start systematic research in this topic.

Our research is financed through donations.
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Please contact us if you have questions or want to make an appointment.

Since December 1, 2022, the Heinrich-Braun-Klinikum gemeinnützige GmbH is the new owner of the Paracelsus-Klinik Zwickau. On December 9, 2022, Mr. Glaß, as managing director of the Heinrich-Braun-Klinikum Zwickau, location Werdauer Straße (formerly Paracelsus-Klinik), announced during a works assembly that the Saxon Ministry for Social Affairs had decided to withdraw the Werdauer Straße division's concession for the specialist field of neurosurgery by March 1, 2023. In February 2023, however, those involved of the former Paracelsus-Klinik succeeded, making serious compromises, in reaching a solution with the management of the Heinrich-Braun-Klinikum in the interests of the patient's well-being. According to the related resolutions of the special meeting of the supervisory board of the Heinrich-Braun-Klinikum on February 1, 2023, the draft of a coexistence of two neurosurgical clinics at the Zwickau location | Karl-Keil-Straße will initially take place as of March 1, 2023, with the prospect of uniting them by 2025.

On the one hand, this means a continuation of the consultation hours for patients with health insurance and private patients by Prof. Dr. med. habil. Warnke as before. On the other hand, the treatment of Tarlov cysts and leptomeningopathy, which in the meantime no longer seemed possible in Zwickau, is within reach again. According to the current status, it is foreseeable that new surgery appointments can be made in the near future. We will inform you about this as soon as possible!

The work of our foundation remains unaffected by this and will be continued as always!