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Related Concept Videos

Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Epidural Anesthesia01:29

Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Epidural Anesthesia

Epidural anesthetics are administered in the fat-filled epidural space, the outermost part of the spinal canal. This technique is commonly employed for pain management and anesthesia during lower abdomen and pelvis surgeries or labor and delivery.
Since epidural anesthetics can be infused through an epidural catheter, all types of drugs, including short-acting ones, can be administered. Chloroprocaine and lidocaine are examples of short and long-duration anesthetics, respectively. Bupivacaine...
Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Spinal Anesthesia01:11

Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Spinal Anesthesia

Spinal anesthetics are given during lower abdomen and limb surgeries to block sensory and motor neurons. They are administered in the mid to low lumbar regions, primarily acting on the cauda equina's nerve roots. The blockade level depends on the local anesthetic (LA) concentration. Usually, low LA concentrations are sufficient to block sensory fibers, while only high LA concentrations block motor fibers. Other factors like injection volume and speed, the patient's posture, and the drug...
Drug Delivery: Miscellaneous Routes01:22

Drug Delivery: Miscellaneous Routes

Drug delivery methods like oral inhalation, nasal sprays, transdermal patches, eye drops, intravitreal injection,  and rectal administration provide localized effects with reduced toxicity.
Oral inhalation and nasal sprays swiftly transfer drugs across the respiratory epithelium's mucosal layer. Inhaled glucocorticoids and bronchodilators directly target lung conditions such as asthma, while fluticasone nasal spray mitigates allergic rhinitis.
Transdermal patches transport drugs through the...
Drug Delivery: Parenteral Route01:29

Drug Delivery: Parenteral Route

The parenteral route is a critical method of drug administration. It delivers compounds directly into the systemic circulation and bypasses the gastrointestinal tract. This approach is particularly advantageous for drugs that exhibit poor absorption or instability when administered orally.
There are three primary parenteral routes: intravenous (IV), intramuscular (IM), and subcutaneous (SC). The IV route introduces the drug directly into the bloodstream, ensuring immediate action. The IM route...
Parenteral Anesthetics: Overview01:24

Parenteral Anesthetics: Overview

Intravenous anesthetics are drugs administered parenterally to induce anesthesia or sedation. Propofol is a widely used agent formulated as a 1% emulsion in soybean oil, glycerol, and egg phosphatide. It induces rapid anesthesia primarily due to its rapid distribution from the bloodstream to target tissues and is metabolized in the liver. However, it can cause significant pain on injection and hypertriglyceridemia. Fospropofol, a water-based prodrug of propofol, lacks these adverse effects.
Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Intravenous Regional Anesthesia01:16

Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Intravenous Regional Anesthesia

Intravenous regional anesthesia or the Bier block technique is used to anesthetize a specific limb or extremity. It uses exsanguinated or blood-drained vessels to transport local anesthetics or LAs to the peripheral nerve trunks. Lidocaine without vasoconstrictors like epinephrine is most commonly used for this technique. Other drugs used are prilocaine, ropivacaine, and chloroprocaine. Bupivacaine is not recommended for this technique due to its high cardiac toxicity.
One of the advantages of...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 27, 2026

Ultrasound-Guided Needle Release Combined with Corticosteroid Injection for the Treatment of Supinator Syndrome
05:18

Ultrasound-Guided Needle Release Combined with Corticosteroid Injection for the Treatment of Supinator Syndrome

Published on: May 26, 2023

Epidural steroid injections.

Indy M Wilkinson1, Steven P Cohen

  • 1Department of Surgery, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA.

Current Pain and Headache Reports
|November 18, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Epidural steroid injections (ESI) offer short-term relief for radicular pain but show limited long-term benefits for back pain. Evidence comparing injection types, like transforaminal versus interlaminar, is not robust.

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Area of Science:

  • Pain Management
  • Interventional Pain Medicine
  • Neurosurgery

Background:

  • Epidural steroid injection (ESI) is a frequent procedure in US pain clinics.
  • It is utilized for various spinal pain conditions.
  • Evidence-based review is crucial for understanding its utility.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide an evidence-based review of epidural steroid injections (ESI).
  • To analyze data on ESI efficacy, patient selection, types, and complications.
  • To evaluate the comparative effectiveness of different ESI techniques.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review of existing literature on epidural steroid injections.
  • Analysis of clinical trial data regarding efficacy and patient outcomes.
  • Comparison of transforaminal versus interlaminar epidural injection techniques.

Main Results:

  • ESI demonstrates efficacy in providing short-term relief for radicular symptoms.
  • Evidence for long-term relief of back pain from ESI is less convincing.
  • Limited data supports the claim that transforaminal ESIs are superior to interlaminar injections.

Conclusions:

  • Epidural steroid injections are effective for short-term radicular pain relief.
  • Long-term efficacy and effectiveness for general back pain remain uncertain.
  • Further research is needed to clarify the comparative benefits of different ESI methods.