Repeat epidural steroid injections for radicular pain due to lumbar or cervical disc herniation

2018 ◽  
Vol 100-B (10) ◽  
pp. 1364-1371 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Joswig ◽  
A. Neff ◽  
C. Ruppert ◽  
G. Hildebrandt ◽  
M. N. Stienen
Keyword(s):  
Functional Outcome ◽  
Disc Herniation ◽  
Radicular Pain ◽  
Cervical Disc Herniation ◽  
Cervical Disc ◽  
Steroid Injections ◽  
Epidural Steroid Injections ◽  
Arm Pain ◽  
One Year ◽  
Epidural Steroid

AimsThe aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of repeat epidural steroid injections as a form of treatment for patients with insufficiently controlled or recurrent radicular pain due to a lumbar or cervical disc herniation.Patients and MethodsA cohort of 102 patients was prospectively followed, after an epidural steroid injection for radicular symptoms due to lumbar disc herniation, in 57 patients, and cervical disc herniation, in 45 patients. Those patients with persistent pain who requested a second injection were prospectively followed for one year. Radicular and local pain were assessed on a visual analogue scale (VAS), functional outcome with the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) or the Neck Pain and Disability Index (NPAD), as well as health-related quality of life (HRQoL) using the 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey questionnaire (SF-12).ResultsA second injection was performed in 17 patients (29.8%) with lumbar herniation and seven (15.6%) with cervical herniation at a mean of 65.3 days (sd 46.5) and 47 days (sd 37.2), respectively, after the initial injection. All but one patient, who underwent lumbar microdiscectomy, responded satisfactorily with a mean VAS for leg pain of 8.8 mm (sd 10.3) and a mean VAS for arm pain of 6.3 mm (sd 9) one year after the second injection, respectively. Similarly, functional outcome and HRQoL were improved significantly from the baseline scores: mean ODI, 12.3 (sd 12.4; p < 0.001); mean NPAD, 19.3 (sd 24.3; p = 0.041); mean SF-12 physical component summary (PCS) in lumbar herniation, 46.8 (sd 7.7; p < 0.001); mean SF-12 PCS in cervical herniation, 43 (sd 6.8; p = 0.103).ConclusionRepeat steroid injections are a justifiable form of treatment in symptomatic patients with lumbar or cervical disc herniation whose symptoms are not satisfactorily relieved after the first injection. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2018;100-B:1364–71.

scholarly journals Are Foraminal Stenosis Severity and Herniation Level Associated with the Treatment Success of Cervical Interlaminar Epidural Steroid Injection?

2020 ◽  
Vol 3;23 (6;3) ◽  
pp. 325-332
Author(s):  
Ipek Saadet Edipoglu
Keyword(s):  
Disc Herniation ◽  
Treatment Success ◽  
Radicular Pain ◽  
Cervical Disc Herniation ◽  
Cervical Disc ◽  
Foraminal Stenosis ◽  
Spinal Level ◽  
Steroid Injections ◽  
Epidural Steroid Injections ◽  
Epidural Steroid

Background: Foraminal stenosis, defined as a narrowing of the cervical neural foramen, is one of the most common causes of upper extremity radicular pain. Objectives: The aim of our study was to determine the effects of the severity of neural foraminal stenosis and spinal herniation level on treatment success in patients treated with interlaminar epidural steroid injections (ILESI) due to cervical disc herniation-related radiculopathy and their possible predictive roles. Study Design: A retrospective assessment. Setting: A university hospital interventional pain management center. Methods: We performed our study between August 2017 and February 2019, retrospectively. All patients’ demographic characteristics, clinical and demographic data, including pain scores before and after cervical ILESI in the first hour, third week, and third month follow-ups, presence of motor deficits, symptom side, symptom duration before cervical ILESI, and whether there was progression to surgery in the 3-month period after injection, were collected. Results: We evaluated 61 patients in the final analysis. When the spinal herniation levels and foraminal stenosis grades were compared, there was a significant difference between the groups (P = 0.003, P = 0.005). We reported significant correlations between foraminal stenosis grade (odds ratio [OR], –0.425, P = 0.038) and spinal herniation level (OR, –0.925, P = 0.001) and treatment success. Limitations: Our study’s design was retrospective. Conclusions: Cervical ILESI is a reliable treatment option that provides a significant reduction in pain of patients with cervical radiculopathy. However, the success of ILESI treatment may be negatively affected in these patients in the presence of high spinal level cervical disc herniation and severe foraminal stenosis. Therefore considering these 2 parameters in predicting the patient population who will benefit from cervical ILESI is of importance in terms of decreasing potential complications. Key words: Interlaminar epidural steroid injections, foraminal stenosis, spinal level, cervical disc herniation, radicular pain

scholarly journals What Is the Role of Epidural Steroid Injections in Lumbar Spinal Disease with Moderate Disability?

2016 ◽  
Vol 4;19 (4;5) ◽  
pp. 293-298
Author(s):  
Jae-Young Hong
Keyword(s):  
Steroid Injection ◽  
Radicular Pain ◽  
Epidural Steroid Injection ◽  
Spinal Disease ◽  
Steroid Injections ◽  
Epidural Steroid Injections ◽  
Pain Scores ◽  
One Year ◽  
Lumbar Spinal ◽  
Epidural Steroid

Epidural steroid injections have been gaining popularity as an alternative to surgical treatment of radicular pain with associated spinal derangement. To determine the effectiveness and indications of lumbar epidural steroid injections in patients with or without surgery, we performed a prospective observational study. We gathered data from 262 degenerative short-segment spinal disease patients (affected at one or 2 levels) with greater than 12 weeks of medication-resistant radicular pain without neurological deficits but with moderate disability (visual analog scale < 6.5; Oswestry Disability Index < 35). All patients received initial fluoroscopically guided transforaminal epidural steroid injections of the affected vertebral level(s) corresponding to their symptoms. Those with inadequate responses or who wanted subsequently surgery underwent decompression surgery. Clinical and demographic characteristics were assessed to compare the differences between the groups. Results: Of the 262 patients who received epidural steroid injections, 204 did not have operations for up to one year. However, 58 patients experienced inadequate relief of pain or wanted operations and therefore underwent surgery. At baseline, the 2 groups had similar mean disability indices and pain scores, as well as gender ratios, ages, and durations of symptoms (P > 0.05). In the patients who underwent surgery, the mean disability and pain scores were not significantly decreased after injection compared to those in the injection-alone group, although the scores for the injection plus surgery patients decreased significantly after surgery (P < 0.05). In contrast, patients who underwent epidural steroid injection alone experienced a significant decrease in disability and pain after injection, and that persisted up to one year of follow-up (P < 0.05). Epidural steroid injection can decrease the pain and disability in the majority of a moderate disability group for up to one year, although a significant number of patients underwent surgery regardless of injection. We recommend epidural steroid injection as a first-line treatment in patients with moderate disability that can be converted to surgery without significant delay. Key words: Epidural steroid injection, spinal surgery, lumbar spinal disease, lumbar radiculopathy, lumbar radicular pain

scholarly journals Study on the functional outcome of fluoroscopically guided transforaminal epidural steroid injections in patients suffering from lumbar disc herniation

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 607
Author(s):  
S. Natarajan ◽  
Anjan Venkataraman Krishnamurthy ◽  
R. Kalanithi ◽  
M. D. Ilavarasan
Keyword(s):  
Functional Outcome ◽  
Lumbar Disc Herniation ◽  
Disc Herniation ◽  
Lumbar Disc ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Steroid Injections ◽  
Epidural Steroid Injections ◽  
Vas Score ◽  
Epidural Steroid

<p><strong>Background: </strong>Intervertebral disc herniation of the lumbar region is one of the common causes of acute low back ache and lower extremity pain. While multiple treatment modalities exist, the efficacy of the usage of a transforaminal steroid injection as a tool to either alleviate pain or delay surgery needs to be further evaluated. The aim of this study is to determine the functional outcome of patients suffering from lumbar disc herniation treated with fluroscopically-guided transforaminal epidural steroid injections.</p><p><strong>Methods:</strong> This is a prospective case study in which total of 43 patients were included in the study dating between August 2014 and July 2015. These patients were evaluated and identified with lumbar disc herniation, confirmed with a magnetic resonance imaging prior to the procedure. A pre-injection VAS score was taken. These patients were administered TFESI under fluoroscopic guidance using 2ml of 40mg of Methylprednisolone with 1 ml of 2% xylocaine. They were then evaluated during follow up at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 12 weeks, and 6 months. Their pain outcome was evaluated using the VAS (visual analog scale) scores and functional outcome was evaluated using Oswestry disability index (ODI).</p><p><strong>Results:</strong> All patients showed significant improvement in the VAS score during their regular follow up when compared to their pre injection levels. Patient satisfaction was the high at 2 weeks post operatively slightly declining over time. 3 patients underwent surgery during the follow up period. The ODI scores also showed significant improvements when compared to the pre injection scores at all follow up periods</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>TFESI provides significant short-term pain relief in patients suffering from a single level lumbar herniated disc and is a viable, effective short-term analgesic tool to address pain and may retard an early surgical intervention.</p>

Epidural Steroid Injections, Conservative Treatment, or Combination Treatment for Cervical Radicular Pain

2014 ◽  
Vol 121 (5) ◽  
pp. 1045-1055 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven P. Cohen ◽  
Salim Hayek ◽  
Yevgeny Semenov ◽  
Paul F. Pasquina ◽  
Ronald L. White ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Outcome ◽  
Outcome Measure ◽  
Primary Outcome Measure ◽  
Radicular Pain ◽  
Combination Group ◽  
Steroid Injections ◽  
Conservative Group ◽  
Epidural Steroid Injections ◽  
Arm Pain ◽  
Epidural Steroid

Abstract Background: Cervical radicular pain is a major cause of disability. No studies have been published comparing different types of nonsurgical therapy. Methods: A comparative-effectiveness study was performed in 169 patients with cervical radicular pain less than 4 yr in duration. Participants received nortriptyline and/or gabapentin plus physical therapies, up to three cervical epidural steroid injections (ESI) or combination treatment over 6 months. The primary outcome measure was average arm pain on a 0 to 10 scale at 1 month. Results: One-month arm pain scores were 3.5 (95% CI, 2.8 to 4.2) in the combination group, 4.2 (CI, 2.8 to 4.2) in ESI patients, and 4.3 (CI, 2.8 to 4.2) in individuals treated conservatively (P = 0.26). Combination group patients experienced a mean reduction of −3.1 (95% CI, −3.8 to −2.3) in average arm pain at 1 month versus −1.8 (CI, −2.5 to −1.2) in the conservative group and −2.0 (CI, −2.7 to −1.3) in ESI patients (P = 0.035). For neck pain, a mean reduction of −2.2 (95% CI, −3.0 to −1.5) was noted in combination patients versus −1.2 (CI, −1.9 to −0.5) in conservative group patients and −1.1 (CI, −1.8 to −0.4) in those who received ESI; P = 0.064). Three-month posttreatment, 56.9% of patients treated with combination therapy experienced a positive outcome versus 26.8% in the conservative group and 36.7% in ESI patients (P = 0.006). Conclusions: For the primary outcome measure, no significant differences were found between treatments, although combination therapy provided better improvement than stand-alone treatment on some measures. Whereas these results suggest an interdisciplinary approach to neck pain may improve outcomes, confirmatory studies are needed.

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