title: Infiltration of anomalous lumbosacral articulations. Steroid and anesthetic injections in 10 back-pain patients.
abstract: In 10 patients with severe, chronic low back pain, we studied the effect of steroid and local anesthetic infiltration of anomalous lumbosacral articulations, formed between a transitional lumbosacral vertebra and the sacrum. There was immediate total relief of pain in 8 patients, and in 1 patient immediate partial relief that became total after approximately 7 days. Five patients subsequently relapsed to their former pain level in periods ranging from 1 day to 12 weeks, 3 patients continued to report adequate partial pain relief after periods of 7 to 41 months, and 1 patient remained free from pain 2 years after infiltration. IN some cases, infiltration of these articulations may be therapeutic, as well as diagnostic.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Dundee Royal Infirmary, Scotland, U.K.
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Marks
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Thulbourne
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001416:Back Pain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007278:Injections, Spinal; D008161:Lumbosacral Region; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011859:Radiography; D012008:Recurrence; D013131:Spine / Q000002:abnormalities*; D013256:Steroids / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D003287:Contrast Media; D013256:Steroids