ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Osteoarthrosis is a common cause of low back pain. The diagnosis is clinical and can be confirmed by imaging studies. Pain treatment and confirmation of diagnosis are made by intra-articular injection of corticosteroid and by local anesthetic use, due to clinical improvement. A direct monitoring of the procedure can be done under fluoroscopy, a classic technique, or else by an ultrasound-guided procedure. CASE REPORT: Female patient, 88 years old, 1.68m and 72kg, with facet osteoarthrosis at L2-L3, L3-L4 and L4-L5 for two years. On physical examination, she exhibited pain on lateralization and spinal extension. We opted in favor of an ultrasound-guided facet joint block. A midline spinal longitudinal scan was obtained, with identification of the desired joint space at L3-L4. A 25 G needle was inserted into the skin by the echographic off-plane ultrasound technique. 1 mL of contrast was administered, with confirmation by fluoroscopy. After aspiration of the contrast, 1 mL of solution containing 0.25% bupivacaine hydrochloride and 10 mg of methylprednisolone acetate was injected. Injections into L3-L4, L2-L3 and L1-L2 to the right were applied. CONCLUSIONS: The visualization of the facet joint by ultrasound involves minimal risk, besides reduction of radiation. This option is suitable for a large part of the population. However, fluoroscopy and computed tomography remain as monitoring techniques indicated for patients with specific characteristics, such as obesity, severe degenerative diseases and anatomical malformations, in which the ultrasound technique is still in need of further study.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: osteoarthrosis is a common cause of low back pain. The diagnosis is clinical and can be confirmed by imaging studies. Pain treatment and confirmation of diagnosis are made by intra-articular injection of corticosteroid and by local anesthetic use, due to clinical improvement. A direct monitoring of the procedure can be done under fluoroscopy, a classic technique, or else by an ultrasound-guided procedure. CASE REPORT: female patient, 88 years old, 1.68 m and 72 kg, with facet osteoarthrosis at L2-L3, L3-L4 and L4-L5 for two years. On physical examination, she exhibited pain on lateralization and spinal extension. We opted in favor of an ultrasound-guided facet joint block. A midline spinal longitudinal scan was obtained, with identification of the desired joint space at L3-L4. A 25G needle was inserted into the skin by the echographic off-plane ultrasound technique. 1 mL of contrast was administered, with confirmation by fluoroscopy. After aspiration of the contrast, 1 mL of solution containing 0.25% bupivacaine hydrochloride and 10mg of methylprednisolone acetate was injected. Injections into L3-L4, L2-L3 and L1-L2 to the right were applied. CONCLUSIONS: the visualization of the facet joint by ultrasound involves minimal risk, besides reduction of radiation. This option is suitable for a large part of the population. However, fluoroscopy and computed tomography remain as monitoring techniques indicated for patients with specific characteristics, such as obesity, severe degenerative diseases and anatomical malformations, in which the ultrasound technique is still in need of further study.
Subject(s)
Bupivacaine/administration & dosage , Low Back Pain/etiology , Nerve Block/methods , Osteoarthritis, Spine/drug therapy , Aged, 80 and over , Anesthetics, Local/administration & dosage , Female , Fluoroscopy/methods , Humans , Low Back Pain/drug therapy , Methylprednisolone/administration & dosage , Methylprednisolone/analogs & derivatives , Methylprednisolone Acetate , Osteoarthritis, Spine/diagnosis , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Ultrasonography, Interventional , Zygapophyseal JointABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Osteoarthrosis is a common cause of low back pain. The diagnosis is clinical and can be confirmed by imaging studies. Pain treatment and confirmation of diagnosis are made by intra-articular injection of corticosteroid and by local anesthetic use, due to clinical improvement. A direct monitoring of the procedure can be done under fluoroscopy, a classic technique, or else by an ultrasound-guided procedure. CASE REPORT: Female patient, 88 years old, 1.68 m and 72 kg, with facet osteoarthrosis at L2-L3, L3-L4 and L4-L5 for two years. On physical examination, she exhibited pain on lateralization and spinal extension. We opted in favor of an ultrasound-guided facet joint block. A midline spinal longitudinal scan was obtained, with identification of the desired joint space at L3-L4. A 25 G needle was inserted into the skin by the echographic off-plane ultrasound technique. 1 mL of contrast was administered, with confirmation by fluoroscopy. After aspiration of the contrast, 1 mL of solution containing 0.25% bupivacaine hydrochloride and 10 mg of methylprednisolone acetate was injected. Injections into L3-L4, L2-L3 and L1-L2 to the right were applied. CONCLUSIONS: The visualization of the facet joint by ultrasound involves minimal risk, besides reduction of radiation. This option is suitable for a large part of the population. However, fluoroscopy and computed tomography remain as monitoring techniques indicated for patients with specific characteristics, such as obesity, severe degenerative diseases and anatomical malformations, in which the ultrasound technique is still in need of further study. .
JUSTIFICATIVA: a osteoartrose facetária é causa frequente de dor lombar. O diagnóstico é clínico e pode ser confirmado por imagem. O tratamento da dor e a confirmação do diagnóstico são feitos pela injeção intra-articular de corticosteroide e anestésico local, por causa da melhoria clínica. A monitoração direta do procedimento pode ser feita por fluoroscopia, técnica clássica, ou guiada por ultrassom. RELATO DE CASO: paciente do sexo feminino, 88 anos, 1,68 m e 72 kg, com osteoartrose facetária em L2-L3, L3-L4 e L4-L5 havia dois anos. No exame físico, dor à lateralização e à extensão da coluna. Optou-se pelo bloqueio da articulação facetária guiado por ultrassom. Foi feito escaneamento longitudinal na linha média da coluna vertebral e identificado o espaço articular desejado em L3-L4. Uma agulha 25G foi introduzida na pele pela técnica fora de plano ecográfico. Foi administrado 1 mL de contraste, confirmado com fluoroscopia. Após aspiração do contraste, foi injetado 1 mL de solução contendo cloridrato de bupivacaína 0,25% e 10 mg de acetato de metilprednisolona. Foram feitas injeções nos espaços L3-L4, L2-L3 e L1-L2 à direita. CONCLUSÕES: a visualização da articulação facetária pelo ultrassom determina mínimo risco e redução da radiação e é indicada para grande parte da população. Ainda assim a fluoroscopia e a tomografia computadorizada permanecem como monitoração indicada para pacientes com características específicas, como obesidade, doenças degenerativas intensas e malformações anatômicas, nas quais o ultrassom ainda necessita de mais estudos. .
JUSTIFICACIÓN: la osteoartrosis facetaria es causa frecuente de dolor lumbar. El diagnóstico es clínico y puede ser confirmado por imagen. El tratamiento del dolor y la confirmación del diagnóstico se hacen mediante la inyección intraarticular de corticosteroides y anestésico local para la mejoría clínica. La monitorización directa del procedimiento puede hacerse por fluoroscopia, técnica clásica, o guiada por ultrasonido. CASO CLÍNICO: paciente del sexo femenino, de 88 años, de 1,68 m y 72 kg, con osteoartrosis facetaria en L2-L3, L3-L4 y L4-L5 hacía ya 2 años. En el examen físico se constató dolor a la lateralización y a la extensión de la columna. Optamos por el bloqueo de la articulación facetaria guiado por ultrasonido. Se hizo un escaneo longitudinal en la línea media de la columna vertebral y se identificó el espacio articular deseado en L3-L4. Una aguja 25G se introdujo en la piel por la técnica fuera del plano ecográfico. Se administró 1 mL de contraste, confirmado con la fluoroscopia. Después de la aspiración del contraste, se inyectó 1 mL de solución conteniendo clorhidrato de bupivacaína al 0,25% y 10 mg de acetato de metilprednisolona. Se administraron inyecciones en los espacios L3-L4, L2-L3 y L1-L2 a la derecha. CONCLUSIONES: la visualización de la articulación facetaria por el ultrasonido determina un mínimo riesgo y una reducción de la radiación y está indicada para gran parte de la población. Pero incluso así, la fluoroscopia y la tomografía computadorizada permanecen como la monitorización indicada para pacientes con características específicas, como obesidad, enfermedades degenerativas intensas y malformaciones anatómicas, para las cuales el ultrasonido todavía necesita más estudios. .