• Michael B Furman, Gautam Kothari, Tejas Parikh, Jason G Anderson, and Ali Khawaja.
• mbfurman@gmail.com
• Pain Med. 2010 Sep 1;11(9):1328-34.

ObjectiveTo assess the efficacy of fluoroscopically guided, contrast-enhanced lumbar interlaminar epidural steroid injections (IL-ESI) for lower limb pain greater than axial low back pain using self-reported pain scores.Study DesignProspective, single-arm, pilot, observational human study.SettingAn outpatient private practice interventional spine specialty referral center.Data/ResultsTwenty-one patients were initially included in analysis. Thirteen patients had "complete data" and completed 3 months of data after their most recent IL-ESI. Their self-reported 3-day average Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) score (0 to 10) at inception, 2 weeks, 6 weeks, and 3 months were 6.38, 3.00, 2.88, and 3.04, respectively. The average NPRS score at 3 months was significantly lower than at inception after the IL-ESI for this group (P = 0.0001, 95% confidence interval [1.69, 5.00]). Eight patients had "incomplete data." Their self-reported 3-day average NPRS scores at inception, 2 weeks, and 6 weeks were 6.69, 4.25, and 4.00, respectively. Of the eight patients who had incomplete data, two patients had surgical intervention, five patients had lumbar transforaminal epidural steroid injections, and one patient was unable to be contacted after 6 weeks.Discussion/ConclusionThis prospective, single-arm pilot study demonstrates that subjects who have had fluoroscopically guided, contrast-enhanced lumbar IL-ESIs for radicular > axial pain can have improved (lowered) NPRS for at least 3 months. It would be worthwhile to pursue a more rigorous study.Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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