An audit of the use of epidural injections for back pain and sciatica.
An audit was conducted to determine if epidural injections for back pain and sciatica were practised in accordance with guidelines prescribed by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). More than 80% of injections were used for conditions for which they were not indicated, and which the NHMRC considers experimental. Most commonly, epidural injections afforded no benefit to the patients, yet were often repeated. In no instance was informed consent recorded as recommended by the NHMRC. The practice of epidural injections is dissonant both with the evidence-based literature and with recommended guidelines, and squanders both financial and professional resources.
Flinders University of South Australia.
Christopher
C
Jackson
Norman
N
Broadhurst
Nikolai
N
Bogduk
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001315:Australia; D001416:Back Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007268:Injections, Epidural; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012585:Sciatica / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones