title: The Effect and Safety of Steroid Injection in Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: With or Without Local Anesthetics.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the long-term effect and safety of an epidural steroid injection in spinal stenosis patients, with or without local anesthetics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-nine patients diagnosed with spinal stenosis were included and randomly divided into two groups. Translaminar epidural and selective nerve root spinal injection procedures were performed using steroids mixed with local anesthetics or normal saline. The effects of spinal injection procedures were measured with visual analogue scale (VAS) and functional rate index (FRI). These measurements were performed before injection, at 1 month after injection and at 3 months after injection. The occurrence of side effects was investigated each time.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The VAS and FRI scores were significantly reduced in both the local anesthetics group and normal saline group at 1 and 3 months after the injection. However, there was no significant difference in VAS and FRI score reduction between the two groups each time. Side effects are not noted in both groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The spinal injection procedures using steroids mixed either with local anesthetics or normal saline have an effect in reducing pain and improving functional activities. However, there was no significant difference between the two groups in relation to side effects and the long-term effects of pain and function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Dongguk University College of Medicine, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Hyuk
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Doctor Ryu's Rehabilitation Clinic, Gyeongju, Korea.
authors.forename: Gi Hyeong
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Dongguk University College of Medicine, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Jin Woo
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Dongguk University College of Medicine, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Ho Jun
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Dongguk University College of Medicine, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Ki Yeun
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Nam
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Dongguk University College of Medicine, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyojun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Dongguk University College of Medicine, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Seung Yeon
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Dongguk University College of Medicine, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Bum Sun
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Kwon
keywords: Anesthetics; Epidural injections; Spinal stenosis; Steroids