The effectiveness of cervical transforaminal epidural steroid injection for the treatment of neck pain due to cervical disc herniation: long-term results.

AIM

To investigate the long-term effect of fluoroscopy guided cervical transforaminal epidural steroid injection on neck pain radiating to the arm due to cervical disc herniation.

MATERIALS & METHODS: 64 patients (26 women [40.6%], 38 men [59.4%]; mean age, 44.9 ± 12.1 years) who had received fluoroscopy guided cervical transforaminal epidural steroid injection for neck pain due to cervical disc herniation at least 1 year before were included in the study. The effectiveness of transforaminal epidural steroid injection was assessed using data obtained by medical records and a standardized telephone questionnaire. Multiple linear regression analysis was applied to evaluate the factors affecting the pain reduction after injection and the duration of treatment effect.

RESULTS

The mean duration of neck pain symptom was 23.3 ± 23.9 months. Most of the patients received a single injection (50 patients, 78.1%). The mean time since injection at the time of interview was 21.4 ± 9.4 months. There was a significant reduction in mean pain visual analog scale (VAS [10 cm]) score, from 8.6 ± 1.4 at baseline to 3.2 ± 2.5 at check visit two weeks after injection (p < 0.001). 52 patients (81.2%) reported pain relief of more than 50%. The mean duration of treatment effect was 13.3 ± 9.44 months. Greater pain on the VAS was found to predict strongly the higher pain reduction and longer treatment effect (p = 0.042 and 0.011, respectively).

CONCLUSION

The results suggested that cervical transforaminal epidural steroid injections might be an effective treatment for neck back pain radiating to the arm due to cervical disc herniation.