Encyclopedia of Pain

2013 Edition
| Editors: Gerald F. Gebhart, Robert F. Schmidt

Epidural Steroid Injections

Reference work entry
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-28753-4_1346
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Synonyms

 Caudal epidural steroids;  Epidural injection of corticosteroids;  Lumbar epidural steroids;  Transforaminal injection of steroids

Definition

Epidural injection of steroids is a treatment for radicular pain in which corticosteroid preparations are injected into the epidural space, using an interlaminar, caudal, or transforaminal route.

Characteristics

Epidural injections of steroids are a common treatment that has been in use since 1952. The popularity of the treatment is supported by a large body of descriptive literature (Bogduk et al. 1993).

Technique

Common to all techniques is placement of a needle into, or near, the epidural space at lumbar or sacral levels, so that material can be injected into that space. Access to the epidural space can be obtained through the ligamentum flavum, the sacral hiatus, or the intervertebral foramina. These techniques are known as the lumbar or interlaminar route, the caudal route, and the transforaminal route, respectively (Bogduk et al. 1993...

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References

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  13. Valat, J. P., Giraudeau, B., Rozenberg, S., et al. (2003). Epidural corticosteroid injections for sciatica: A randomised, double-blind, controlled clinical trial. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, 62, 639–643.PubMedGoogle Scholar
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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.University of Newcastle, Newcastle Bone & Joint Institute, Royal Newcastle CentreNewcastleAustralia