NCT03541681

Repeated Transforaminal Anesthetic Injections With or Without Glucocorticoid in Patients With Cervical Radiculopathy

A Trial of Repeated Transforaminal Injections With Local Anesthetics With or Without Glucocorticoid in Patients With Cervical Radiculopathy; A Single-center, Randomized Controlled Trial With Short- and Long Term Follow-up

• Status: Withdrawn
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 0 (actual)
• Sponsor: Region Skane · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The main objective is to evaluate pain and muscle strength in the upper extremities after treatment with cervical transforaminal injection of glucocorticoid vs. transforaminal injection of local anesthetic injection in patients with cervical radiculopathy. The investigators hypothesizes that there are correlations between radiculopathy and muscle weakness.

Detailed description

Previously published studies have not shown a difference in outcome between cervical transforaminal injections with cortisone or local anesthetic in a short term, 6-week, follow-up after using a series of three injections of cervical transforaminal glucocorticoid vs. local anesthetic. No study available thus far has evaluated and compared the long-term effect of these two treatments (glucocorticoid vs. local anesthetics). The investigators aim is to verify if there are responders and non-responders to this type of steroid injections. 100 patients with MRI-verified nerve root compression caused by spondylosis or disc herniation and a history of radiculopathy with or without neck pain and muscle weakness will be included. The participants will be included if they showed at least 50% pain reduction in visual analogue scale (VAS) within 30 min of a diagnostic nerve root block with local anesthetic only. The participants will be blinded and randomized to each treatment group. Pain, muscle weakness, disability and quality of life will be evaluated. Follow-up will be made at 3 and 6 months.

Conditions

• Neck Pain
• Radiculopathy, Cervical
• Cervical Foraminal Stenosis
• Cervical Disc Disease

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
PROCEDURE	Glucocorticoid Injections	1 ml Dexamethasone + 0,5 ml Bupivacain
PROCEDURE	Anesthetic Injections	0,5 ml Bupivacain

Timeline

• Start date: 2021-06-01
• Primary completion: 2023-06-07
• Completion: 2023-12-30
• First posted: 2018-05-30
• Last updated: 2025-06-25