OBSERVATIONAL EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CAUDAL EPIDURAL STEROID INJECTION IN THE MANAGEMENT OF PERSISTENT LOWER BACK PAIN

Abstract

Background: In addition to being less invasive than surgery, caudal epidural steroid injections also had lower rates of
morbidity and death. Arachnoiditis and meningitis are among the worst adverse effects that have been documented in the
literature.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of caudal epidural steroid injections in treating patients with
persistent lower back pain.
Methods: 240 participants with persistent lower back pain and sensory complaints who did not improve with conservative
therapy were evaluated for this research. The Oswestry disability index and visual analog scale were used to clinically evaluate
the included participants' pain, work performance, and unrestricted daily activities before and after steroids.
Results: 240 patients received a total of 330 epidural steroid injections, whereas 170, 50, and 20 subjects had single, two, and
three injections, respectively. One hundred female individuals and 140 male subjects participated. Lumbar canal stenosis,
lumbar disc herniation, non-specific LBP, and degenerative disc disease were seen in 100, 44, 22, and 74 individuals,
respectively. Check-ins at one week, one, three, and twelve months. The mean VAS was 7.09 prior to ESI and 4.84 at one
year. Prior to ESI, ODI scores were 59.14, and after a year, they were 44.66. 27.5%, 38.33%, 21.67%, and 12.5% of the
outcomes were excellent, good, fair, and bad, respectively.
Conclusion: For patients with persistent and function-limiting lower back pain, epidural steroid injections are quite successful
in reducing pain.