[Intrathecal administration of triamcinolone in treatment of pain after discectomy]

The efficacy and compatibility of intrathecal corticoid therapy was studied in a series of 160 patients (out of a total collective of 3000 patients operated on over a 5-year period for disc herniation) suffering from continuing pain in the first 5 days following discectomy. 80 patients received triamcinolone acetonide in crystalline suspension (Volon A 80, 2.0 ml) intrathecally via lumbar puncture on the 5th postoperative day (group A). The remaining 80 patients acted as controls (group B). Additionally, all patients were treated by conservative means. On the 6th, 8th and 12th postoperative day they all had to classify their wellbeing according to a 5-grade pain scale. On the 6th day 75% of group A patients assessed their symptoms as belonging to the favourable grades 1 and 2 (completely free of pain or slight remaining complaints), whereas only 5% of the control group did so (p < 0.0003). On the 8th and 12th postoperative day this difference was not as significant. All patients were examined again 4 weeks after discharge from the hospital. At this time the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant (p < 0.12). No general systemic effects due to intrathecal corticoid administration were recorded. However, in 11 cases (13%) postpunctional signs of greater or lesser severity, reaching from slight to severe headache with nausea and vomiting occurred. All these symptoms disappeared at the latest within 1 week and would--in our opinion--be avoidable by correct lumbar puncture technique. In general, this study revealed that intrathecal triamcinolone administration is highly effective in the relief of postdiscectomy pain and may reduce the period of postoperative pain significantly.