Acute Cervical Radiculopathy Outcomes: Soft Disc Herniations vs Osteophytes

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Neurosurgery
• Radiology

Background:

• Acute cervical radiculopathy is a common condition causing neck and upper limb pain.
• Distinguishing between soft disc herniations and osteophytes is crucial for understanding prognosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prospectively evaluate and compare the clinical outcomes of acute cervical radiculopathy.
• To assess outcomes based on the etiology: soft disc herniations versus cervical osteophytes.

Main Methods:

• Sixty patients with acute cervical radiculopathy (≤1 month duration) were enrolled.
• Inclusion criteria included radicular pain > axial pain and a numerical rating scale score ≥4.
• Clinical findings, plain films, and MRI were used; outcomes assessed at 6 weeks and 3, 6, 12 months.

Main Results:

• At 12 months, >75% pain reduction was observed in 77% with soft discs vs. 66% with osteophytes (P>0.05).
• Significant pain reduction (≤2/10) was seen in 86% with soft discs vs. 81% with osteophytes (P>0.05).
• Low rates of surgery (7% vs. 11%) and opioid use (7% vs. 9%) were reported at 12 months for soft discs vs. osteophytes, respectively.

Conclusions:

• The majority of patients with acute cervical radiculopathy show improvement over time, irrespective of whether the cause is a soft disc herniation or osteophytes.
• Clinical outcomes, including pain reduction and functional improvement, are generally comparable between the two etiologies.