[Treatment of sciatica with injection of hydrocortisone into the sacral hiatus]

A group of 305 patients was treated with injections of corticosteroids into the epidural space of the sacral canal through the sacral hiatus and recumbent position on hard surface. The injections were done every second day giving seven times hydrocortisone acetate 0.025 g and as the last injection Depo-Medrol 0.04 g (Upjohn) was administered. The control group comprised 324 cases treated by various other methods. The assessment of the results was based on two criteria: duration of hospital stay, and percent of patients referred for surgical treatment. In the control group the duration of hospital stay was 20 days, and 16.1% of patients were referred for surgical treatment. In the studied group these values were 17.5 days and 5.2%. Conclusion. In acute ischalgia administration of hydrocortisone and depo-medrol into the epidural space through the sacral hiatus and lying on hard surface shorten the duration of strong pain and reduce the indications to surgical intervention.