title: Effect of interlaminar epidural steroid injection in acute and subacute pain due to lumbar disk herniation: a randomized comparison of 2 different protocols.
abstract: In order to assess the efficacy of epidural steroid injections (ESI) in acute and subacute pain due to lumbar spine disk herniation, we conducted a randomized trial, comparing 2 different protocols. Fourty patients with radicular pain due to L4-L5 and L5-S1 disc herniation were assigned to receive either 3 consecutive ESI every 24 hours through a spinal catheter (group A) or 3 consecutive ESI every 10 days with an epidural needle (group B). All patients had improved Oswestry Disabilty Index (ODI) and the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain scores at 1 month of follow-up compared to baseline, while no significant differences were observed between the 2 groups. The scores for group B were statistically significant lower at 2 months of follow-up compared to those of group A. The improvement in the scores of group B was continuous since the mean scores at 2 months of follow up were lower compared to the respective scores at 1 month. Protocol B (3 consecutive ESI every 10 days) was found more effective in the treatment of subacute pain compared to Protocol A (3 consecutive ESI every 24 hours) with statistically significant differences in the ODI and VAS scores at 2 months of follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University Hospital of Ioannina, University of Ioannina, School of Medicine, Ioannina, Greece.
authors.forename: I D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Gelalis
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Arnaoutoglou
authors.forename: E E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Pakos
authors.forename: A N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Politis
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rapti
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Xenakis
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Papadopoulos