Eastern J Med. 2025; 30(4): 586-589 | DOI: 10.5505/ejm.2025.73848

Short-Term Outcomes of Transforaminal Epidural Injections in Unilateral Lumbosacral Radiculopathy

Caner Sarýkaya¹, Cansu Egilmez Sarýkaya², Abdulmutalip Karaaslanlý^3
1Department Of Neurosurgery, Maltepe University Hospital
²Department Of Neurology, Bahçeþehir University Medical Park Hospital
³Department Of Neurosurgery, Van Yüzüncü Yýl University

INTRODUCTION: Transforaminal epidural injection is increasingly recognized as a primary treatment for unilateral radiculopathy associated with lumbar disc pathology. This study retrospectively examines the imaging and clinical outcomes of patients who received transforaminal steroid injections for unilateral radiculopathies.
METHODS: This retrospective analysis included 100 patients who underwent transforaminal epidural injections at a single center, performed by the same surgeon between 2022 and 2023. Patients were selected based on specific inclusion criteria such as unilateral radicular leg pain, failure to respond to six weeks of conservative treatment, and a Visual Analog Score (VAS) score of 5 or higher. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to confirm underlying pathologies, including lumbar disc herniation, spinal stenosis, or spondylolisthesis.
RESULTS: Treated patients, 76 (76%) experienced a significant reduction in VAS score by more than 50% within 15 days post-treatment. The analysis showed higher efficacy in patients treated at a single level (86.84% benefit) compared to those with multi-level pathologies (13.16% benefit). Additionally, patients with isolated lumbar disc pathology had better outcomes compared to those with concomitant stenosis or spondylolisthesis.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Transforaminal epidural injections provide effective short-term pain relief in patients with lumbosacral radiculopathy primarily due to lumbar disc pathology. The procedure's success rate diminishes with increasing complexity of spinal involvement, highlighting the need for careful patient selection and targeted therapeutic approaches.

Keywords: Transforaminal epidural injection, lumbosacral radiculopathy, pain management, lumbar disc pathology, conservative treatment failure, VAS score improvement

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