The Effects of the Local Steroid Injection in the Patients with Medial Superior Cluneal Nerve Entrapment

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the local steroid injection in the patients with medial superior cluneal nerve entrapment. METHOD: The participants were 20 (13 men, 7 women) patients with medial superior cluneal nerve entrapment diagnosed by Maigne's criteria (unilateral buttock pain, tender point at iliac crest, and relieved pain by nerve block). All patients were injected with 1% lidocaine 1.75 ml and triamcinolone 10 mg at maximal tender point which was 7~8 cm away from spinous process horizontally on the iliac crest. The visual analogue scale (VAS) and the modified Oswestry questionnaire (MOQ) were checked at before, 2 weeks and 4 weeks after injection. And the VAS was checked 10 min after injection to determine the accuracy of injections. RESULTS: The mean VAS scores of before injection, 10 min, 2 weeks, and 4 weeks after injection were 7.7, 2.8, 4.0, and 4.0 respectively. The mean MOQ of before injection, 2 weeks, 4 weeks after injection were 35.7, 23.8, and 23.8 respectively. Both VAS and MOQ were significantly different in before injection, 2 weeks and 4 weeks after injection (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The local steroid injection is an effective treatment of medial superior cluneal nerve entrapment.