Ultrasound-guided versus fluoroscopy-guided lumbar selective nerve root block: a retrospective comparative study

Area of Science:

• Pain Management
• Interventional Radiology
• Musculoskeletal Imaging

Background:

• Lumbar radicular pain significantly impacts patient quality of life.
• Selective nerve root block (SNRB) is a common treatment for lumbar radicular pain.
• Fluoroscopy guidance is the traditional method for SNRB, but involves radiation exposure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the accuracy and effectiveness of ultrasound-guided SNRB (U-SNRB) versus fluoroscopy-guided SNRB (F-SNRB).
• To evaluate the feasibility of ultrasound guidance for SNRB.
• To assess the impact on patient outcomes and procedural efficiency.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study of patients with lumbar radicular pain undergoing SNRB.
• Comparison of U-SNRB (n=43) and F-SNRB (n=20) groups.
• Assessment of pain visual analogue scale (VAS) and Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scores pre- and post-procedure at multiple time points.

Main Results:

• No complications were reported in either group.
• U-SNRB demonstrated significantly shorter operating times and fewer needle angle adjustments (P<0.05).
• Both groups showed significant improvements in VAS and JOA scores post-procedure (P<0.05), with no significant difference between groups (P>0.05).

Conclusions:

• Ultrasound-guided SNRB is accurate and effective for treating lumbar radicular pain, comparable to fluoroscopy.
• U-SNRB offers advantages in reduced operating time and radiation exposure.
• Ultrasound guidance presents a feasible and potentially superior alternative for SNRB procedures.