Understanding the Landscape of Spinal Injections: Insights and Challenges from Latin America

Area of Science:

• Pain Management
• Neurosurgery
• Spinal Surgery

Background:

• Low back and neck pain are leading causes of disability globally.
• Spinal injections are a common next step after conservative treatments for pain.
• Current spinal block practices show significant variability due to unclear guidelines.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess spinal surgeons' knowledge and experience with spinal injections in Latin America.
• To analyze current spinal injection techniques and identify implementation barriers.
• To address the lack of regional studies on spinal interventions in Latin America.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a custom-designed questionnaire.
• Data was collected from 260 spinal surgeons across Latin America.
• The survey covered knowledge, experience, techniques, and challenges in spinal injections.

Main Results:

• 75% of participating surgeons perform their own spinal blocks.
• Lumbar facet injection was the most common procedure (80%).
• A majority (76%) utilize fluoroscopy in their practice.

Conclusions:

• Most Latin American surgeons perform spinal injections and are keen on further education.
• Findings provide a foundation for developing region-specific guidelines and training programs.
• The study fills a critical gap in understanding regional spinal intervention practices.