EVALUATION OF THERAPEUTIC EFFICACY OF TRANSFORAMINAL EPIDURAL STEROID INJECTION AND SUBPEDICULAR STEROID INJECTION IN PATIENTS WITH PROLAPSED INTERVERTEBRAL DISC (PIVD) WITH CORRESPONDING LEVEL RADICULOPATHY.

Abstract

Background: Lumber prolapsed intervertebral disc induce radiating pain in lower limbs, for which epidural steroid injection is one of the safe and effective therapeutic option. This prospective study compares the results of 2 different techniques of transforaminal epidural steroid injection (TFESI) and subpedicular steroid injection in patients with prolapsed intervertebral disc (PIVD) in relieving lumbar radicular pain. Methods: Records of 80 patients who had undergone transforaminal and subpedicular epidural steroid injection for lumbar radicular pain were analyzed. Visual analogue scale (VAS) score were measured at before procedure and at 4th day post procedure and 2, 4, 6 and 24 weeks thereafter and straight leg raise test (SLRT) were measured before procedure, 4th day and 4 week post procedure. Results:At 24 weeks, the VAS was signicantly lower than the baseline in both groups; VAS in the TFESI group was signicantly lower than VAS in the subpedicular group at 6 and 24 weeks. SLRT score was signicantly higher in the TFESI group and subpedicular ESI group through the 4-week time point (P= 0.0021 at 4th day; P= 0.0001 at 4 weeks). At the end of 24 weeks, a signicantly greater number of patients in the TFESI group and subpedicular ESI showed difference In VAS (P = 0.0003). Conclusions: At the end of 24 weeks, TFESI appears to be a superior technique in relieving lumbar radicular pain in PIVD patients and could be an alternative to the subpedicular approach in severe spinal canal stenosis when it is hard to place the needle in the anterior epidural space through the safe triangle.