Bilateral L1 and L2 dorsal root ganglion blocks for discogenic low-back pain.
BACKGROUND
It is possible that interruption of nociceptive input from intervertebral discs can be modulated through bilateral L1 and L2 dorsal root ganglia (DRG) blockade. In order to test this hypothesis, we prospectively collected data from patients with low-lumbar pain, accurately diagnosed as discogenic using provocation discography.


METHODS
Twelve patients were recruited with a mean (sd) symptom duration of 13.7 (8.2) years. Bilateral DRG blocks of L1 and L2 were performed using methylprednisolone 80 mg, clonidine 75 microg and 0.5% bupivacaine 4 ml in each patient.


RESULTS
Analysis of Brief Pain Inventories showed no significant change in pain scores.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that blocks of this nociceptive pathway in humans using bilateral DRG blocks has no therapeutic value.
Richardson
J
J
Department of Anaesthetics and Pain, Bradford Royal Infirmary, Bradford BD9 6RJ, UK. docjohnnyr@hotmail.com
Collinghan
N
N
Scally
A J
AJ
Gupta
S
S
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal; D006801:Humans; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000294:innervation; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000150:complications; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009407:Nerve Block / Q000379:methods*; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods; D011446:Prospective Studies