Study: Modified Approach to Interlaminar Lumbar Epidural Ateroid Injections Safer, More Effective

A modified interlaminar lumbar epidural steroid injection approach, known as the parasagittal approach, is more effective at reducing unilateral lumbosacral radicular back pain and is safer than the traditional approach, according to a Medscape Medical News report.

For the study, Kenneth Candido, MD, gave lumbar epidural steroid injections to 44 patients: 22 received the midline approach and 22 received the parasagittal approach. Patients completed the Oswestry Low Back Pain questionnaire before injection and one, seven and 28 days after the procedure. Dr. Candido found although patients in both groups had similar OLBP scores at baseline and showed improvement after the injections, improvements were statistically significant in the parasagittal group only.

The results of the study were presented by Dr. Candido at the 6th World Congress of the World Institute of Pain.

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