904 - A Comprehensive Evaluation of Epidural Injection Procedures for Low Back Pain with Radiculopathy

Evaluate the safety profiles, pain relief, and functional improvement of different epidural procedures based on the injection level relative to the lesion site, and how these outcomes are influenced by patient demographics.

Design: Retrospective study

Results: At the 1-month follow-up, injections administered ‘above the lesion site’ resulted in the most significant functional improvement, with an average reduction in ODI scores of 6.0 points. In contrast, injections ‘below the lesion site’ led to an increase of 6.67 points in ODI, indicating worsening disability. Both groups experienced similar pain relief, with a 1.0-point reduction in VAS scores. However, only patients injected ‘above the lesion site’ showed both functional improvement and pain relief, which was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Injections ‘below the lesion site’ resulted in pain relief but worsened functional outcomes. Preliminary data for injections administered ‘at the lesion site’ suggest moderate improvement in pain and disability. Patients aged 60-80 saw the most benefit from injections above the lesion site, with the greatest improvements in both pain and function. Gender and smoking status did not significantly impact outcomes, but non-working patients experienced better functional improvement.

Conclusions: The level of injection relative to the lesion site significantly affects functional improvement for patients with low back pain and radiculopathy. Injections administered above the lesion site provided the best functional outcomes, while injections below the lesion site were associated with worsening disability. Clinicians should consider both the level of injection relative to the lesion site and patient demographics when determining the most appropriate treatment approach. Further research is warranted to explore long-term outcomes.