OBJECTIVE To compare a newly developed minimally-invasive method for percutaneous transforaminal epidural injection (INJ group) with the existing method for lumbar epidural catheterization (CATH group). METHOD Through anatomical review of experimental rats, the cephalic one fourth of the neural foramen was selected as the target point for drug delivery. After the rats had undergone lumbar epi...

Lumbosacral nerve root blocks and epidural corticosteroid injections are commonly used for short-term pain relief among patients with degenerative spinal disc disease. Serious complications following these rare, there only a few published papers on this subject. It is important that spine surgeons aware of the potential complications, possible factors contribute to such complications. 32-year-o...

Background/Aim: Perineural fibrosis may be seen in some surgeries after unsuccessful transforaminal injections. This animal experiment aims to investigate the effect of steroids and/or local anesthetic substances used epidural/transforaminal injections on fibrosis. Methods: A total 14 male Wistar-Albino rats were separated into two groups 7. After intraperitoneal anesthesia, right and left scia...

ow back pain combined with radicular pain remains as one of the most challenging musculoskeletal problems for its therapeutic management (1). This malady results from nerve root impingement and/or inflammation that causes neurologic symptoms in the distribution of the affected nerve root(s). Conservative treatment, percutaneous spine interventions and surgery have all been used as treatments; a...

OBJECTIVE To determine the effectiveness of lumbar transforaminal injection of steroids in the treatment of radicular pain. DESIGN Comprehensive review of the literature with systematic analysis of all published data. INTERVENTIONS Four reviewers independently assessed 39 publications on the effectiveness of lumbar transforaminal injection of steroids. Each reviewer determined if a publicat...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Cervical transforaminal epidural steroid injections are commonly performed for temporary pain relief or diagnostic presurgical planning in patients with cervical radiculopathy. Intravascular injection of steroids during the procedure can potentially result in cord infarct, stroke, and even death. CT-fluoroscopy allows excellent anatomic resolution and precise needle posit...

We read the article by Zhu et al (1) regarding an alternative approach for lumbar transforaminal epidural steroid injections. We found that their work was similar to our previously reported article, “Fluoroscopically guided transforaminal epidural dry needling for lumbar spinal stenosis using a specially designed needle” (2). In our article, we introduced a minimally invasive interventional tec...

CONTEXT Lumbar central spinal stenosis is common and often results in chronic persistent pain and disability, which can lead to multiple interventions. After the failure of conservative treatment, either surgical or nonsurgical modalities such as epidural injections are contemplated in the management of lumbar spinal stenosis. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION Recent randomized trials, systematic reviews ...

background :the incidence of recurrence in patients undergoing primary discectomy due to lumbar disc herniation (ldh), is regularly reported as 5-15%. in this study we aimed to evaluate surgical outcome of instrumented transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (tlif) in the patients suffering from recurrent ldh.   methods : we retrospectively studied 51 patients (30 female, 21 male) from august 20...

AIM The endoscopic foraminal approach in foraminal, lateral and far-lateral disc hernias, is a contemporary minimal invasive approach. This study was performed to show that the approach is possible with using the microscope without an endoscope, and even intervention on the discs within the spinal canal is possible by having access through the foramen. MATERIAL AND METHODS Forty-two cases wit...