Researchers at the Rothman Institute and Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, found epidural steroid injections do not improve health or avoid surgery in the long term for patients with back pain, according to a Thomas Jefferson University news release.
Researchers examined data on patients being treated for lumbar stenosis and spondylolisthesis. The study included 69 patients who received epidural steroid injections and 207 patients who did not.
Patients who received ESI had a higher rate of crossover to surgery and fared worse in physical health and bodily pain versus those who did not receive ESI.
Other key findings include:
• Surgically treated ESI patients reported less improvement in physical function and bodily pain an average of four years post-surgery.
• Fifty-eight percent of ESI patients had increased crossover to surgery versus 32 percent of non-ESI patients.
• Thirty-two percent of ESI patients were more likely to require surgery versus 11 percent of non-ESI patients.
• Patients who received ESI had a longer operative time—an average of 26 minutes longer—than patients who didn't receive ESI.
• Patients who received ESI were also more likely to have increased hospital length of stays than non-ESI patients.
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Patients who received ESI had a higher rate of crossover to surgery and fared worse in physical health and bodily pain versus those who did not receive ESI.
Other key findings include:
• Surgically treated ESI patients reported less improvement in physical function and bodily pain an average of four years post-surgery.
• Fifty-eight percent of ESI patients had increased crossover to surgery versus 32 percent of non-ESI patients.
• Thirty-two percent of ESI patients were more likely to require surgery versus 11 percent of non-ESI patients.
• Patients who received ESI had a longer operative time—an average of 26 minutes longer—than patients who didn't receive ESI.
• Patients who received ESI were also more likely to have increased hospital length of stays than non-ESI patients.
Sign up for our FREE Spine E-Weekly for more coverage like this sent to your inbox!
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