EVALUATION OF PAIN RELIEF OUTCOMES USING SELECTIVE NERVE ROOT BLOCK IN LUMBAR RADICULOPATHY

Tóm tắt

Background: Lumbar selective nerve root block (SNRB) is a routine diagnostic and therapeutic procedure at 1A Hospital for managing chronic low back pain and radiculopathy. The procedure aims to alleviate pain by injecting a local anesthetic and/or corticosteroid around the symptomatic nerve root. Despite its global application, clinical evidence regarding the efficacy of lumbar SNRB within the Vietnamese population remains limited. Patients and Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of 98 patients to evaluate the efficacy of lumbar SNRB. Treatment outcomes were assessed based on pain intensity (Visual Analog Scale - VAS), functional improvement (MacNab criteria), and the total duration of pain relief. Results: A significant improvement in mean VAS leg pain scores was observed, decreasing from $8.2 \pm 1.73$ at baseline to $2.08 \pm 2.02$ post-procedure in 88 cases. At the 6-month follow-up, the mean VAS score remained significantly lower than baseline at $3.56 \pm 2.93$ ($p < 0.01$). Recurrence of leg pain was reported within 1–2 weeks in 10.2% of cases (10/98); these patients subsequently underwent surgical intervention. The duration of effective pain relief ranged from one week to six months. Conclusion: These findings suggest that lumbar SNRB is an effective intervention for chronic low back pain and radiculopathy, providing significant pain reduction and functional recovery while potentially delaying the need for surgery in specific cases. However, further prospective studies with larger cohorts are warranted to confirm these results. Overall, lumbar SNRB represents a viable nonsurgical option for appropriately selected patients.