The Effect of Nerve Root Block on the Patients Who Are Considered as Surgical Candidates with Cervical Radicular Pain / 대한정형외과학회잡지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to evaluate the effect and usefulness of cervical selective nerve root block in advance for the patients who was scheduled for operation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 2001 to December 2008, 28 cases were selected from the patients, who underwent selective nerve root block before operation. The mean follow-up period was 30.4 months and the mean age was 59.2 years. The patients were divided into the operation group and the only cervical nerve root block group. The groups were compared for age, gender, the contraction period and the, solidity of the disc. The groups were radiologically evaluated for the existence of cervical spondylosis and the neural compression rate. The clinical results were analyzed using the neck disability index (NDI) and the visual analogue scale (VAS) score. RESULTS: Among the 28 cases that were scheduled for operation, 18 cases did not proceed to operation and 10 cases among them were treated with additional conservative treatment. The average VAS score for the operation group and the cervical nerve root block group was 8.3 and 7.7 at the preoperative state and the preinjection state, respectively. After surgical treatment and cervical nerve root block, the scores were 3.2 and 3.6, respectively. The NDI for the operation group was 40.6 at the preoperative state and this decreased to 11.2 at the last follow up. The NDI for the cervical nerve root block group was 38.4 at the preinjection state and this decreased to 13.6 at the last follow up. The mean contraction period was 3.2 months and the mean age was 51.9 years for the operative group. The mean contraction period was 14.82 months and the mean age was 55.9 years for the root block group. There was no difference of clinical outcomes between the operative group and the cervical nerve root block group. The operation group's mean age was younger and the duration of symptom was shorter than those of the cervical nerve root block group. CONCLUSION: Cervical nerve root block is considered to be an effective treatment for patients with cervical disc herniation with radiating pain and who are scheduled for an operation.