Repetitive transforaminal steroid injections in cervical radiculopathy: a prospective outcome study including 140 patients.
(2012) In Evidence-based spine-care journal 3(3). p.13-20- Abstract
- Study design: Prospective case series. Objective: To evaluate the effect of three repetitive transforaminal steroid injections in a large series of selected patients with cervical radiculopathy caused by spondylosis. Methods: Consecutively, 140 patients with long-lasting medical history, clinical findings, and MRI indicating a cervical nerve root origin based on degenerative disease and a positive selective transforaminal diagnostic nerve root blocks with local anesthetics resulting in at least 50% temporary arm pain reduction were included. Before treatment started, patients underwent a clinical examination by a neurosurgeon. All patients were followed-up and evaluated by one physiotherapist at the neurosurgery outpatient clinic. A... (More)
- Study design: Prospective case series. Objective: To evaluate the effect of three repetitive transforaminal steroid injections in a large series of selected patients with cervical radiculopathy caused by spondylosis. Methods: Consecutively, 140 patients with long-lasting medical history, clinical findings, and MRI indicating a cervical nerve root origin based on degenerative disease and a positive selective transforaminal diagnostic nerve root blocks with local anesthetics resulting in at least 50% temporary arm pain reduction were included. Before treatment started, patients underwent a clinical examination by a neurosurgeon. All patients were followed-up and evaluated by one physiotherapist at the neurosurgery outpatient clinic. A designed outcome questionnaire including Neck Disability Index (NDI), Symptoms Frequency Index, and Visual Analog Scale for pain intensity were used. A series of three transforaminal steroid injections, with 3 weeks in between, were performed by a neuroradiologist using image intensifier guidance in an x-ray suite. At 12-14 weeks after the first injection, follow-up was performed. Criteria for positive response to the treatment was >50% radicular arm pain reduction. Except for occasional painkillers, no other treatment was given to the patients. Results: Positive response to the treatment was achieved in 49% (n = 69) with a significant difference in NDI and pain intensity between responders and nonresponders. Conclusions: Repetitive transforaminal steroid injections may reduce symptoms (frequency, intensity, and fewer limitations of daily living activities) of radiculopathy in patients with degenerative disease in the cervical spine at a short time follow-up. [Table: see text]. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/3627647
- author
- Persson, Liselotte LU and Anderberg, Leif LU
- publishing date
- 2012
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- in
- Evidence-based spine-care journal
- volume
- 3
- issue
- 3
- pages
- 13 - 20
- external identifiers
-
- pmid:23531493
- pmid:23531493
- ISSN
- 1663-7976
- DOI
- 10.1055/s-0032-1327805
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- no
- id
- 419571e0-027c-4a76-8eba-b657cd4fb029 (old id 3627647)
- alternative location
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23531493?dopt=Abstract
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-04 09:14:41
- date last changed
- 2018-11-21 20:51:46
@article{419571e0-027c-4a76-8eba-b657cd4fb029, abstract = {{Study design: Prospective case series. Objective: To evaluate the effect of three repetitive transforaminal steroid injections in a large series of selected patients with cervical radiculopathy caused by spondylosis. Methods: Consecutively, 140 patients with long-lasting medical history, clinical findings, and MRI indicating a cervical nerve root origin based on degenerative disease and a positive selective transforaminal diagnostic nerve root blocks with local anesthetics resulting in at least 50% temporary arm pain reduction were included. Before treatment started, patients underwent a clinical examination by a neurosurgeon. All patients were followed-up and evaluated by one physiotherapist at the neurosurgery outpatient clinic. A designed outcome questionnaire including Neck Disability Index (NDI), Symptoms Frequency Index, and Visual Analog Scale for pain intensity were used. A series of three transforaminal steroid injections, with 3 weeks in between, were performed by a neuroradiologist using image intensifier guidance in an x-ray suite. At 12-14 weeks after the first injection, follow-up was performed. Criteria for positive response to the treatment was >50% radicular arm pain reduction. Except for occasional painkillers, no other treatment was given to the patients. Results: Positive response to the treatment was achieved in 49% (n = 69) with a significant difference in NDI and pain intensity between responders and nonresponders. Conclusions: Repetitive transforaminal steroid injections may reduce symptoms (frequency, intensity, and fewer limitations of daily living activities) of radiculopathy in patients with degenerative disease in the cervical spine at a short time follow-up. [Table: see text].}}, author = {{Persson, Liselotte and Anderberg, Leif}}, issn = {{1663-7976}}, language = {{eng}}, number = {{3}}, pages = {{13--20}}, series = {{Evidence-based spine-care journal}}, title = {{Repetitive transforaminal steroid injections in cervical radiculopathy: a prospective outcome study including 140 patients.}}, url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1055/s-0032-1327805}}, doi = {{10.1055/s-0032-1327805}}, volume = {{3}}, year = {{2012}}, }