Research – Cervical Transforaminal Epidural Steroid Injections

** click the blue article titles below for the abstracts
note: recent additions will be added to the top of the list

4 – Comparison of Pain Score Reduction Using Triamcinolone vs. Dexamethasone in Cervical Transforaminal Epidural Steroid Injections

• Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2013 Jan 30. [Epub ahead of print]
• Retrospective cohort study
• 441 total patients reviewed
• Triamcinolone (Kenalog) 40 mg and dexamethasone (Decadron) 15 mg produced similar benefits as measured by the patients’ self-reported pain scores.

3 – Transforaminal steroid injections in the treatment of cervical radiculopathy. A prospective outcome study

• Acta Neurochir (Wien). 2005 Oct;147(10):1065-70
• Reduced need for operative treatment (because of radicular and neck pain relief).
• “Routine transforaminal injection treatment prior to surgery seems rewarding, but the complication risk must be taken into consideration.”

2 – Transforaminal steroid injections for the treatment of cervical radiculopathy: a prospective and randomised study

• Eur Spine J. 2007 March; 16(3): 321–328

  The patients were randomised for treatment with steroids/local anaesthetics or saline/local anaesthetic.

  No differences in treatment results in the two patient groups (at 3-week follow-up)

1 – Chronic cervical radiculopathy: lateral-approach periradicular corticosteroid injection

• Radiology. 2001 Mar;218(3):886-92.
• Mean duration of pain prior to injection was 9.5 months (failed medical management)
• At 6-months = 53% good or excellent relief AND return to previous occupation and full lifestyle