title: Transforaminal epidural steroid injection via a preganglionic approach for the treatment of lumbar radicular pain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effectiveness of transforaminal epidural steroid injection (TFESI) for lumbar radiculopathy with respect to effect of injection levels, gender, and age group.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hundred-fifty-three consecutive patients who underwent to lumbar TFESI were enrolled. The outcomes were measured by using a visual numeric scale (VNS), NASS and EQ-5D. The relationship between possible outcome predictors and the therapeutic effect were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All the patients completed the 2nd year follow-up visits. Significant differences were observed between the pre-procedure and post-procedure VNSs, NASS patients' satisfactions scores and EQ-5D (P < 0.01) except 1st and 2nd year follow-up (P=0.12, P=0.27and P=0.19 respectively). Gender (higher in female patients) showed significant effect to pre-procedure VNS (P=0.04). An increase in the level number was significantly associated with an increase in the 6th month (P=0.005, P=0.004 respectively) and the 1st year (P=0.05, P=0.029 respectively) NASS and EQ-5D. No complication was occurred except discitis in two chronic renal failure patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Especially in the patients with severe co-morbidities TFESI is an option to provide higher life quality. The clinical course of the success of the TFESI decreases in one year and becomes stable thereafter. In the patients with immune deficiency, the practitioners should always be aware for an infectious complication.
authors.affiliation: Baskent University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Istanbul, Turkey. drtufan@gmail.com
authors.forename: Tufan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cansever
authors.forename: Serdar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kabatas
authors.forename: Erdinc
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Civelek
authors.forename: Atilla
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kircelli
authors.forename: Cem
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Musluman
authors.forename: Demet
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ofluoglu
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Caner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D059925:Anatomic Landmarks / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006801:Humans; D007268:Injections, Epidural / Q000379:methods; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011843:Radiculopathy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D013256:Steroids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D013256:Steroids