[Efficacy of transforaminal lumbar epidural steroid injections in patients with lumbar radiculopathy].

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

This study looks into the efficacy and safety of the transforaminal lumbar epidural steroid injection (TLESI) applied to patients with radiculopathy due to lumbar disk herniation.

METHODS:

The patients' files which were applied TLESI, were retrospectively scanned. Patients who did not respond to one-month conservative treatment and who were detected to have bulging or protruding lumbar disk herniation as a result of imaging methods were included in the study. All applications were performed with C-arm fluoroscopy under local anesthesia by outpatient method. In all cases, a mix of 80 mg triamsinolone and 0.25% bupivacaine, was transforaminally injected to the anterior epidural area. Initial VAS pain scores were compared with the values of the 1, 3 and 6th months after the application. Patient satisfaction was determined through scoring. Furthermore, early and late term complications were collected for evaluation.

RESULTS:

A total of 222 patients were administered TLESI 460 times (average: 2.1, repeat interval: 1-6 times). The applications were carried out most frequently at the levels of L4-L5 and L5-S1. While the initial VAS score average was 8.2±0.7, after TLESI, it was 5.0±1.6, 4.8±1.5 and 5.1±1.5 in the 1, 3 and 6th months, respectively. 63.9% of the patients (n=142) defined the treatment as 'good and excellent'. No major complications were experienced and the overall minor complication rate was 11.1%.

CONCLUSION:

It was seen that TLESI was an efficient and safe method in the short and medium term.

• Authors: Mehmet Fatih Çetin, Haktan Karaman, Gönül Ölmez Kavak, Adnan Tüfek, Zeynep Baysal Yildirim
• Journal: Agri : Agri (Algoloji) Dernegi'nin Yayin organidir = The journal of the Turkish Society of Algology (Agri) Vol. 24 Issue 2 Pg. 77-84 ( 2012) ISSN: 2458-9446 [Electronic] Turkey
• Vernacular Title: Lumbar radikülopatili hastalarda transforaminal lumbar epidural steroid enjeksiyonlarının etkinliği.
• PMID: 22865492 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Anesthetics, Local
• Anti-Inflammatory Agents
• Triamcinolone
• Bupivacaine

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Anesthetics, Local (administration & dosage)
• Anti-Inflammatory Agents (administration & dosage)
• Bupivacaine (administration & dosage)
• Female
• Fluoroscopy
• Humans
• Injections, Epidural
• Intervertebral Disc Displacement (complications, diagnostic imaging)
• Low Back Pain (drug therapy, etiology)
• Lumbosacral Region
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Pain Measurement
• Retrospective Studies
• Treatment Outcome
• Triamcinolone (administration & dosage)
• Turkey