[Treatment of degenerative chronic low back pain with fluoroscopically guided epidural procaine-corticosteroid injection].
OBJECTIVE
Low back pain is one of the most common painful conditions in the modern age. Therefore, it is very important to establish the most effective protocol for the treatment of this condition. The aim of this study was to find out if fluoroscopically, guided epidural procaine-corticosteroid injection is effective in the treatment of degenerative chronic low back pain.


METHODS
This prospective cohort study was performed in the Military Medical Academy from September 2005 to June 2006 and included 60 patients of both sexes, 34-85 years of age. Degenerative changes of lumbosacral spine were determined by magnetic resonance imaging. The intensity of low back pain was evaluated by subjective (Roland's scale) and objective parameter (Lazarevic sign). Epidural procaine-corticosteroid injection was applied in the patients with low back pain not responding to conservative therapy. After the application of injection, effects of the therapy were followed up.


RESULTS
In 92% of the patients there was a reduction of pain intensity for three months, in 4.8% a reduction for a month, but after another injection they felt pain reduction for the next three months. One patient (2.3%) had pain reduction for one month.


CONCLUSIONS
In the treatment of degenerative chronic low back pain, not responding to conservative therapy with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, epidural procaine-corticosteroid injection have a satisfactory short-term as well as a long-term analgesic effect.
Culafić
Slobodan
S
Vojnomedicinska akademija, Institut za radiologiju, Beograd, Srbija.
Stefanović
Dara
D
Dulović
Dragan
D
Minić
Ljubodrag
L
Culafić
Andrijana
A
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005471:Fluoroscopy; D006801:Humans; D007268:Injections, Epidural; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011343:Procaine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015641:Radiography, Interventional; D013130:Spinal Stenosis / Q000150:complications
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D011343:Procaine