Abstract
Objectives
To access the 5- year outcomes of patients with sciatica, not caused by spinal stenosis, spondylolysis, spondylolisthe-sis or congenital deformity, but by a lumbar herniated intervertebral disc (HIV D), treated by a selective nerve root block (SNRB). A review of the alternative treatments, during the follow up period, is also presented.
Summary of Literature Review
Controversy exists about the therapeutic effects, particularly the long- term effects of a SNRB, in sciatica caused by a lumbar HIVD.
Materials and Methods
SNRB was performed on a total of 288 patients, diagnosed with a lumbar HIVD, through the clinical manifestations and physical and radiological findings, including MRI, between Jan. 1992 and Dec. 1997. Of the 288 patients, the 79 that underwent SNRB treatment only, and were minimally followed up for five years, were reviewed. The type of HIVD was based on the MRI findings, and the results of the SNRB were analyzed, with regard to the presence or absence of a relapse, the other treatments for recurrent or remnant symptoms following the SNRB, return to previous daily living and working activities and the degree of subjective symptomatic improvement, as assessed by a chart review, or an out patient department follow up or a telephone interview.
Results
With regard to the HIVD, there were 17 cases of bulging type (21.5%), 37 of protrusion (46.8%), 21 of extrusion (26.6%) and 4 of sequestration (5.1%) types. Medication and physical therapy was required in 13 cases (16.5%) and 35 cases (44.3%) used herbal medication and acupuncture. Thirteen of the 79 cases relapsed, and 10 were treated by microscopic discectomy. SNRBs were reperformed in 3 cases. Twenty- three cases (29.1%) required no treatment. Fifty- six cases (84.8%) returned to their previous daily living and working activities.
REFERENCES
01). Arnhoff FN., Triplett HB., Pokorney B. Follow-up study of patient treated with nerve blocks for low back pain. Anesthesiology,. 46:170–178. 1977.
02). Berman AT., Garbarino JL., Fisher SM., Bosacco SJ. The effects of epidural injection of local anesthesia and corticosteroid of patients with lumbosacral pain. Clin Orthop,. 188:144–151. 1984.
03). Brena SF. Nerve blocks and chronic pain states-an update. Postgrad. Med,. 78:62. 1985.
04). Buchner M, Zeifang F, Brocai DRC and Marcus. Epidural corticosteroid injection in the conservative man -agement of sciatica. Clin Orthop. 375:149–156. 2000.
05). Carette S., Leclaire R., Marcour S. Epidural cor -ticosteroid injections for sciatica due to herniated nucleus pulposus. N. Engl J Med. 336:1634–1640. 1997.
06). Delaney TJ., Rowlingson JC., Carron H., Butler A. Epidural steroid effects on nerves and meninges, Anesth Analg,. 58:610–614. 1980.
07). Dooley JF., Mcbroom RJ., Taguchi T., Macnab I. Nerve root infiltration in the diagnosis of radicular pain. Spine,. 13:79–83. 1988.
08). Hakekius A. Prognosis in sciatica: A clinical follow-up of surgical and non-surgical treatment. Acta Orthop Scand Suppl. 129:1–76. 1970.
09). Haueisen DC., Smith BS., and Myers SR., Pryce ML. The diagnostic accuracy of spinal injection studies: Their role in the evaluation of recurrent sciatica. Clin Orthop,. 198:179–183. 1985.
10). Hong YG., Sa SJ., Kim JD. Selective spinal nerve root block for the treatment of sciatica: J. Kor Orthop. 32:1056–1062. 1997.
11). Kelman H. Epidural injection therapy for sciatic pain. AM. J Surg,. 64:183. 1944.
14). Ridley MG., Kingsley ., Gibson T., Grahame R. Out patient lumbar epidural carticosteroid injection in the management of sciatica. Br J Rheumatol. 27:295–299. 1988.
15). Riew KD., Yin Y., Gilula L, et al. The effect of Nerve-root injections on the need for operative treatment of lumbar radicular pain: A prospective, randomized, controlled, double-blind study: J. Bone and Joint Surg. 82-A:1589–1593. 2000.
16). Saal JA., Saal JS. N onoperati ve treatment of herniated lumber intervertebral disc with radiculopathy: An outcome study. Spine,. 14:431–437. 1989.
17). Shim DM., Song HH., Kim TK., Ha DH., Chae SU and-Kim HJ. The selective spinal nerve root block as predic -tors of outcome of operative treatment in the lumbar spine: J. Kor Spine Surg. 8:527–533. 2001.
18). Stanley D., McLaren MI., Euinton HAM., Getty CJM. A prospective study of nerve root infiltration in the diagnosis of sciatica: A comparison with radiculography, computed tomography, and operative findings. Spine,. 15:540–543. 1990.
19). Stanton-Hicks M. Nerve blocks in chronic pain therapy are there any indication left? Acta Anestesiol Scand,. 45:1100–1107. 2001.
20). Steven JA Robert BK., Yuchiao C., Richard AD., Danniel ES. Surgical and Nonsurgical management of Sciatica secondary to a Lumber Disc Herniation: Five-year outcomes From the Marine Lumber Spine Study. Spine,. 26:1179–1187. 2001.
21). Tajima T., Furukawa K., Kuramochi E. Sel ective lumbosacral radiculography and block. Spine,. 5:68–77. 1980.
22). Tarun T., Michael AW., Vtaly G. Pain management for lower back pain. Curr Opin orthop,. 13:165–171. 2002.
23). Weber H. Lumber disc herniation: A controlled prospective study with ten years of observation. Spine. 8:131–40. 1983.
24). White AH., Derby R., Wynne G. Epidural injections for the diagnosis and treatment of low back pain. Spine,. 5:78–86. 1980.