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.