CAUDAL EPIDURAL STEROID INJECTIONS FOR LUMBO–SACRAL RADICULAR PAIN: DOES IT REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
SwamyG ; De LougheryL ; BommireddyR ; KlezlZ ; and CalthorpeD Background: The management of radicular pain due to lumbar or sacral nerve root compromise remains controversial. Caudal epidural steroid injections are widely employed although there is little hard evidence to confirm their efficacy. This empirical treatment still remains a matter of personal choice and experience. Objectives: To investigate the clinical effectiveness of caudal epidural steroid injections (CESIs) in the treatment of sciatica and to identify potential predictors (clinical subgroups) of response to CESIs. Main outcome measures: The primary outcome measure was the Oswestry Disability Questionnaire (ODQ). The Visual analogue score (VAS) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scores (HADS) were also employed in all cases to measure pain relief, physical and psychological function. Method: Prospective study. All patients with corresponding radicular pain received a course of three caudal epidural steroid injecti
