J Korean Pain Soc.  1996 Jun;9(1):98-101.

Analysis of Patients with Cervical Epidural Steroid Injection and Nerve Block

• Chung SW
• Jeon JK

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Lumbar epidural steroid injection for relief of low back pain and sciatica has become a popular procedure. Further, cervical epidural steroid injection with nerve block (CESNB) is known to be effective for the management of acute and chronic pain of neck, shoulder and arm. However, many anesthesiologists are not familiar with CESNB. METHOD: Charts of 34 patients who had undergone 60 cervical epidural steroid injections over a three year period, 1993 to 1995, were reviewed. We studied the followings. initial visit and department, injected interspaces, personal characteristics, indications for injection and complications. RESULT: Patients first visits were mainly to orthopaedics (11 patients) and neurosurgery (10 patients). Epidural injection sites were C7-Tl interspace (29 patients) and C6-C7 interspace (6 patients). Mean age of patients were 50.1 years, range 21-73 years. There were twenty male and fourteen female patients. Complications varied from dizziness after CESNB (l patient), loss of consciousness with transient apnea (2 patients), and local infection with suspicious meningitis (l patient).
CONCLUSION
We conclude from the above data that CESNB is a good, safe and conservative form of therapeutic procedure in the management of patients suffering from cervical radiculopathy, and neck and shoulder pain.

Keyword

Anesthetic technique: cervical epidural; Nerve block

MeSH Terms

Apnea
Arm
Chronic Pain
Dizziness
Female
Humans
Injections, Epidural
Low Back Pain
Male
Meningitis
Neck
Nerve Block*
Neurosurgery
Radiculopathy
Sciatica
Shoulder
Shoulder Pain
Unconsciousness