The effectiveness of cervical transforaminal epidural steroid injection for the treatment of neck pain due to cervical disc herniation: long-term results


Kesikburun S., Aras B., KELLE B., Yavuz F., Yasar E., Taskaynatan M. A.

PAIN MANAGEMENT, cilt.8, sa.5, ss.321-326, 2018 (ESCI) identifier identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 8 Sayı: 5
  • Basım Tarihi: 2018
  • Doi Numarası: 10.2217/pmt-2018-0002
  • Dergi Adı: PAIN MANAGEMENT
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), Scopus
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.321-326
  • Çukurova Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Aim: To investigate the long-term effect of fluoroscopy guided cervical transforaminal epidural steroid injection on neck pain radiating to the arm due to cervical disc herniation. Materials & methods: 64 patients (26 women [40.6%], 38 men [59.4%]; mean age, 44.9 +/- 12.1 years) who had received fluoroscopy guided cervical transforaminal epidural steroid injection for neck pain due to cervical disc herniation at least 1 year before were included in the study. The effectiveness of transforaminal epidural steroid injection was assessed using data obtained by medical records and a standardized telephone questionnaire. Multiple linear regression analysis was applied to evaluate the factors affecting the pain reduction after injection and the duration of treatment effect. Results: The mean duration of neck pain symptom was 23.3 +/- 23.9 months. Most of the patients received a single injection (50 patients, 78.1%). The mean time since injection at the time of interview was 21.4 +/- 9.4 months. There was a significant reduction in mean pain visual analog scale (VAS [10 cm]) score, from 8.6 +/- 1.4 at baseline to 3.2 +/- 2.5 at check visit two weeks after injection (p < 0.001). 52 patients (81.2%) reported pain relief of more than 50%. The mean duration of treatment effect was 13.3 +/- 9.44 months. Greater pain on the VAS was found to predict strongly the higher pain reduction and longer treatment effect (p = 0.042 and 0.011, respectively). Conclusion: The results suggested that cervical transforaminal epidural steroid injections might be an effective treatment for neck back pain radiating to the arm due to cervical disc herniation.