Patient Information Resources


Spine Institute
Glendale Adventist Medical Center
1500 E. Chevy Chase Drive, Suite 401B
Glendale, CA 91206
Ph: (818) 863-4444






Spine - Cervical
Spine - General
Spine - Lumbar
Spine - Thoracic

View Web RX

« Back

Pain Relief with Injection Doesn't Depend on Needle Tip Position

Posted on: 05/11/2006
Anesthetic and steroid injections to block nerve pain in the low back can bring patients immediate pain relief. Does the needle tip position at the time of the injection make a difference? That's the question this study answers for surgeons.

Over 1200 patients were included in this study. Injections were made using X-ray imaging to guide the needle into the radicular space. The radicular space is the area where the spinal nerve exits the spinal canal and then travels down the spine.

Researchers used the images to record exact locations of the needle tip at the time of the injection. Three dimensional (3-D) views were taken. They compared the results with how quickly patients got pain relief.

The authors report that exact needle tip position doesn't affect pain outcome. These results give surgeons more freedom when doing nerve block injections. Safety, anatomy, and patient comfort can be used to guide this procedure. The surgeon can avoid getting too close to the nerve root thereby preventing even more pain for patients.

References:
Timothy S. Crall, et al. The Diagnostic Effect of Various Needle Tip Positions in Selective Lumbar Nerve Blocks: An Analysis of 1202 Injections. In Spine. April 15, 2006. Vol. 31. No. 8. Pp. 920-922.

« Back





*Disclaimer:*The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic.


All content provided by eORTHOPOD® is a registered trademark of Mosaic Medical Group, L.L.C.. Content is the sole property of Mosaic Medical Group, LLC and used herein by permission.