Complications during lumbar selective nerve root block: a scoping review
Anna Frøbert Welinder1, David Kocemba2,3,4, Viktor Hartmann Kuang2
1Department of Neurosurgery, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark. ANWELI@rm.dk.
Acta Neurochirurgica
|December 20, 2025
Summary
Selective Nerve Root Block (SNRB) has a low complication rate, with severe events like paralysis being rare. This review highlights the need for standardized reporting of complications from SNRB procedures.
Area of Science:
- Pain Management
- Interventional Radiology
- Spinal Procedures
Background:
- Selective Nerve Root Block (SNRB) is a common procedure for radicular pain.
- A comprehensive list of SNRB complications has not been previously compiled.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and map all reported complications associated with lumbar SNRB.
Main Methods:
- A scoping review of peer-reviewed studies on lumbar SNRB complications in adults.
- Systematic search across six databases.
- Two independent reviewers screened 6,939 studies.
Main Results:
- 118 studies included, covering 15,817 patients and 72,518 procedures.
- 145 complication types identified; overall complication rate was 5.4% per procedure.
- Mild/moderate complications at 5.2%, severe complications at 0.2%; serious events (infection, paralysis) were rare (≤0.03%).
Conclusions:
- Lumbar SNRB demonstrates a low overall complication rate, with severe adverse events being infrequent.
- Significant heterogeneity exists in how complications are reported in published literature.
- Standardized guidelines for reporting SNRB complications are recommended to improve data consistency.
