STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case-control study. OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness between caudal and trans-foraminal epidural steroid injections for the treatment of primary lumbar radiculopathy. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Spinal injections with steroids play an important role in non-operative care of lumbar radiculopathy. The trans-foraminal epidural steroid injection (TESI) theoretically has a higher success rate based on targeted delivery to the symptomatic nerve root. To our knowledge, these results have not been compared with other techniques of epidural steroid injection. METHODS: 93 patients diagnosed with primary lumbar radiculopathy of L4, L5, or SI were recruited for this study: 39 received caudal epidural steroid injections (ESI) and 54 received trans-foraminal epidural steroid injections (TESI). Outcomes scores included the SF-36, Oswestry disability index (ODI) and pain visual analogue scale (VAS), and were recorded at baseline, post-treatment (<6 months), long-term (>1 year). The average follow-up was 2 years, and 16 patients were lost to follow-up. The endpoint "surgical intervention" was a patient-driven decision, and considered failure of treatment. Intent-to-treat analysis, and comparisons included t-test, Chi-square, and Wilcoxon rank-sum test. RESULTS: Baseline demographics and outcomes scores were comparable for both treatment groups (ESI vs. TESI): (SF-36 PCS (32.3 +/- 7.5 vs. 29.5 +/- 8.9 respectively; p = 0.173), MCS (41.2 +/- 12.7 vs. 41.1 +/- 10.9, respectively; p = 0.971), and VAS (7.4 +/-2.1 vs. 7.9 +/- 1.2, respectively; p = 0.228)). Surgery was indicated for failure of treatment at a similar rate for both groups (41.0% vs. 44.4%, p=0.743). Symptom improvement was comparable between both treatment groups (ESI vs. TESI): SF-36 PCS improved to 42.0+/-11.8 and 37.7+/-12.3, respectively; p=0.49; ODI improved from 50.0+/-21.2 to 15.6+/-17.9and from 62.1+/-17.9 to 26.1+/-20.3, respectively (p=0.407). CONCLUSIONS: The effectiveness of TESI is comparable to that of ESI (approximately 60%) for the treatment of primary lumbar radiculopathy. The increased complexity of TESI is not justified for primary cases, and may have a more specific role in recurrent disease or for diagnostic purposes.
STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case-control study. OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness between caudal and trans-foraminal epidural steroid injections for the treatment of primary lumbar radiculopathy. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Spinal injections with steroids play an important role in non-operative care of lumbar radiculopathy. The trans-foraminal epidural steroid injection (TESI) theoretically has a higher success rate based on targeted delivery to the symptomatic nerve root. To our knowledge, these results have not been compared with other techniques of epidural steroid injection. METHODS: 93 patients diagnosed with primary lumbar radiculopathy of L4, L5, or SI were recruited for this study: 39 received caudal epidural steroid injections (ESI) and 54 received trans-foraminal epidural steroid injections (TESI). Outcomes scores included the SF-36, Oswestry disability index (ODI) and pain visual analogue scale (VAS), and were recorded at baseline, post-treatment (<6 months), long-term (>1 year). The average follow-up was 2 years, and 16 patients were lost to follow-up. The endpoint "surgical intervention" was a patient-driven decision, and considered failure of treatment. Intent-to-treat analysis, and comparisons included t-test, Chi-square, and Wilcoxon rank-sum test. RESULTS: Baseline demographics and outcomes scores were comparable for both treatment groups (ESI vs. TESI): (SF-36 PCS (32.3 +/- 7.5 vs. 29.5 +/- 8.9 respectively; p = 0.173), MCS (41.2 +/- 12.7 vs. 41.1 +/- 10.9, respectively; p = 0.971), and VAS (7.4 +/-2.1 vs. 7.9 +/- 1.2, respectively; p = 0.228)). Surgery was indicated for failure of treatment at a similar rate for both groups (41.0% vs. 44.4%, p=0.743). Symptom improvement was comparable between both treatment groups (ESI vs. TESI): SF-36 PCS improved to 42.0+/-11.8 and 37.7+/-12.3, respectively; p=0.49; ODI improved from 50.0+/-21.2 to 15.6+/-17.9and from 62.1+/-17.9 to 26.1+/-20.3, respectively (p=0.407). CONCLUSIONS: The effectiveness of TESI is comparable to that of ESI (approximately 60%) for the treatment of primary lumbar radiculopathy. The increased complexity of TESI is not justified for primary cases, and may have a more specific role in recurrent disease or for diagnostic purposes.
Authors: J Karppinen; A Malmivaara; M Kurunlahti; E Kyllönen; T Pienimäki; P Nieminen; A Ohinmaa; O Tervonen; H Vanharanta Journal: Spine (Phila Pa 1976) Date: 2001-05-01 Impact factor: 3.468
Authors: Elva G Delport; Anthony R Cucuzzella; Julie K Marley; Christine M Pruitt; J Rush Fisher Journal: Arch Phys Med Rehabil Date: 2004-03 Impact factor: 3.966