Effect of epidural steroids on epidural infusion pressure and clinical outcome of degnerative lumbar spine disease

ABSTRACT

Assessment of epidural infusion pressure and clinical outcome in low back pain patients due to degenerative lumbar spinal disease before and after epidural steroid injection. This study was conducted on 30 patients, 20 males and 10 females with a mean age of 49 +/- 6.0. They used to complain of radicular low back pain with radiological evidence of degenerative lumbar disc herniation or spinal stenosis coming to the Pain Clinic of Zagazig University Hospitals for an epidural steroid injection. At the start of therapeutic intervention and after 4 weeks of treatment, low back pain intensity, tenderness severity on palpation, tension sign [straight leg raising test], functional disability, lumbar mobility and infusion epidural pressure were assessed. A significant decrease in epidural infusion pressure from baseline level was observed after epidural steroid injections. Significant improvements in pain, tenderness, disability, lumbar mobility and tension sign [straight leg raising test] were observed when comparing baseline values with that at the end of treatment. Epidural steroid agents have a clinical benefit because they provide pain relief, decrease outflow obstruction of epidural space, decreased drug dependence, and may decrease the need for surgery