J Neuroradiology
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Comparative Study
[Histologic characteristics of posterior lumbar epidural fatty tissue].
The aim of this study was to describe the histological specificities of posterior lumbar epidural fat (PLEF) considered a "semi-fluid" tissue. We performed axial histological sections of posterior lumbar epidural fat through the abdomen of two foetuses, as well as histological sections on several planes in 11 adults. For comparison, we simultaneously cut sections in subcutaneous fat of adults (SCF). ⋯ PLEF, therefore, is not a simple filling tissue. Its histological features (homogeneity, scarcity of connective tissue and oriented slits) explain the "semi-fluid" characteristic and confirm the specialization of this fat tissue. Its location at the level of the mobile segment of the lumbar spine suggests that it plays a role of sliding structure between the posterior surface of the thecal sac and the anterior surface of the vertebral arch.