The Effect of Nerve-Root Injection on Pain Relief in the Management of Osteoporotic Vertebral Fractures.
10.4055/jkoa.2002.37.3.385
- Author:
Dong Jun KIM
1
;
Jin Man WANG
;
In Soo KIM
Author Information
1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Ewha Womans University Hospital, Seoul, Korea. djkim@mm.ewha.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Spine;
Osteoporotic vertebral fracture;
Radiating pain;
Nerve-root injection
- MeSH:
Female;
Follow-Up Studies;
Fractures, Compression;
Humans;
Male;
Spine;
Vertebroplasty
- From:The Journal of the Korean Orthopaedic Association
2002;37(3):385-391
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a nerve-root injection for the alleviation of pain in osteoporotic vertebral fracture. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighteen patients with pain from osteoporotic vertebral fracture, without improvement after conservative treatment, were included in this study. The group consisted of sixteen women and two men, and had with a mean age of 71 years. Patients underwent a nerve-root injection with lidocane, bupivacane and depomedrol, and were allowed as many as three injections. The mean follow-up period was 13.5 months. RESULTS: The average pain scores at pre-injection, 1 month and 6 months after the injection and final follow-up were 85, 24.9, 14.1 and 17.4, respectively. According to the criteria used to assess clinical results, there was one excellent, thirteen good and four fair results. A newly developed compression fracture was noted in one patient. No complication was related to the injection. CONCLUSION: Our data show that nerve-root injections are effective at improving pain. This suggests that patients with pain from osteoporotic vertebral fractures should be considered for treatment with nerve-root injections prior to being considered for percutaneous vertebroplasty or operative intervention.
