Cervical Radiculopathy: Selective Nerve Root Injection of Steroids

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To determine the therapeutic efficacy of fluoroscopic and electrical stimulation guided perineural selective nerve root injection in cervical radiculopathy patients. METHOD: The gold standard of the diagnosis of cervical radiculopathy was based on clinical features, MRI and electrodiagnostic findings. Considering the natural regression of pain in cervical radiculopathy, only patients (n=27, 14 male and 13 female) who had suffered from persisting or aggravating pain for at least 6 weeks or longer duration after the onset of symptoms, were received a selective nerve root injection (SNRI) of steroids to a target nerve root. Patients were followed up at 2 weeks and 2 months, and interviewed via telephone or re-examined at an average of 37.8 weeks 68 weeks after injection by a independent physician. Criteria for a successful outcome were greater than 50% reduction of pain on visual analogue scale and an ability to return to previous level of function. RESULTS: High proportion of patients reported a successful outcome at 2 weeks (88.9%, 24 of 27 patients). Twenty-two of twenty-four patients reported the outcome at 2 months and 20 of 22 patients were followed up for an averrge period of 37.3 weeks. Among these 20 patients 19 patients satisfied with the result of SNRI at an average follow up period of 68 weeks. There was no significant difference of the efficacy according to the duration of the symptoms. There were no complications in any of the patients after injections. CONCLUSION: Fluoroscopic and electrical stimulation guided selective nerve root injections of corticosteroids were an effective and safe treatment modality in cervical radiculopathy. These could be considered as a first line treatment before a surgical intervention in whom another conservative treatments are not effective.