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Repetitive transforaminal steroid injections in cervical radiculopathy: a prospective outcome study including 140 patients.

Persson, Liselotte LU and Anderberg, Leif LU (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)
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author
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publishing date
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}},
}