19. Additional information, no documents

Dr. Burton November 2011, "In all cases Myodil caused toxic Chemical Meningitis leading to Adhesive Arachnoiditis," blog page 17.


1971: An article published in the Journal of Neurosurgery, please note no copy is available at this time. It documents a study carried out on Beagle dogs in which Myodil is injected in to the Sub-Arachnoid space in the dogs' spinal cords. The researchers conclude that the effects of Myodil on the spinal cord are greatly understated by previous research findings and that Myodil actually has a devastating effect on the animals tested. (Link to journal)

1972. Glaxo change product packaging documents to include reference to removal of Myodil after Myelography. 1973, Glaxo again change product packaging documents advising Myodil be aspirated after Myelography. This same year they also advised that if low back pain and sciatica symptoms persisted to inject hydrocortisone sodium succinate intrathecally, which is now known to be an extremely dangerous procedure which also involved a cocktail of chemicals that would probably have accelerated the onset of Adhesive Arachnoiditis. (Link to Hansard record where this information can be found)

1978: An article by Dr. Burton published in the medical journal: Spine, please note no copy is available at this time. One hundred patients with lumbosacral adhesive Arachnoiditis documented either directly at surgery or by unequivocal Myelography served as the basis for this report on the pathologic process. The entity appears not to be rare, as previously thought, but common in patients with severe back and/or leg pain and functional incapacitation due to the failed back surgery syndrome. The importance of Pantopaque in contributing to this disease process appears to be quite significant. (Link to journal)

1978: An article published in the medical journal: Spine, please note no copy is available at this time. The results of a long-term study of 28 patients operated on for adhesive lumbar Arachnoiditis are presented. The technique involved was microscopic lysis of adhesions. The first case of surgery was performed in 1966 and the last, in 1970, with follow up through 1976. Numerous observations are made regarding the clinical picture and the appearance of Arachnoiditis at the time of surgery. (Link to journal)

1976: An article published in the Medical Journal of Australia, please note no copy is available at this time. Three cases of Arachnoiditis after use of oil based media in Myelography are presented. The study concludes at that time Iophendylate (Myodil) is the best contrast media for use in Myelography, however it's use causes serious problems such as pain and disability and therefore it's use should be avoided. (Link to journal)

1980: An article published in the medical journal the Lancet, please note no copy is available at this time. A case study where tiny droplets of Myodil entered the cranium and caused focal seizures which lead to loss of consciousness. (Link to journal)

1985: A report by Dr. B. Baessler and Dr. R. Lahl in a German medical journal Zentralblatt fur Neurochirurgie. Case reports of three people who underwent Myelograms, two had Amipaque injected in to their spinal cords and one had Pantopaque. All three people suffered severe reactions, one of the Amipaque cases died within 17 days of the procedure and the Pantopaque case died within 13 days of the procedure. Please note no copy is available at this time but here is a link to the abstract (Link).

1988: An article published in the medical journal Epilepsia, please note no copy is available at this time. A 46-year-old woman developed focal seizures 10-15 years following Iophendylate Myelography. Focal epileptogenic abnormalities on electroencephalogram corresponded to the localization of residual Iophendylate in the right sylvian fissure. Intracranial Iophendylate may have produced chronic meningeal reaction leading to cortical irritation and a chronic seizure disorder. (Link to journal)

1995: Letter from St Mary's Hospital. This letter discusses the publication of a research paper in the medical journal Neuroradiology. The paper documents the investigation in to the prevalence of Adhesive Arachnoiditis following back surgery and whether the patient underwent a Myelogram or not before surgery, and how this will have increased the likelihood of Arachnoiditis. The paper concludes there is greater risk of Arachnoiditis after surgery where Myelography has also been used. (Link to the journal)

In 1999 a Leeds based hospital Radiologist, Dr. Lamb, wrote a lengthy testimony about problems he and his colleagues experienced with Myodil and how dissatisfied he was with Glaxo. He also states he estimated that he alone carried out over 12,000 Myodil Myelograms. This is an extremely lengthy document and will take too much web space, but you can find a copy of it on The Myodil Legacy website.

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