Abstract: Background: Low back ache is one of the most common complaints with which a patient goes to a hospital. Steroid injections are valuable treatment alternative when patients fail to respond to other conservative treatments within 4 to 6 weeks. This study was undertaken to evaluate the functional outcome in patients with prolapsed intervertebral discs (PIVD) after the patients were given transforaminal steroid injection in our institution.
Methodology: This prospective observational study included 66 patients with low back ache diagnosed PIVD on MRI conducted at Choithram Hospital, Indore who were given transforaminal steroid injection. After 48 hours, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months following the steroid injection visual analogue score (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) was evaluated at each follow-up.
Results: The mean age in our study patients was 39.79 ± 12.14 years. Male are higher 57.6% as compare to female who are little lower 42.4%. At presentation the mean VAS score for L3-L4 was 7.500 ± 0.548, for L4-L5 was 7.458 ± 0.743 and for L5-S1 was 7.500 ± 0.798. At 6 months the mean VAS score for L3-L4 was 2.167 ± 0.408, for L4-L5 was 2.068 ± 0.695 and for L5-S1 was 2.083 ± 0.900. The overall mean VAS at presentation was 7.470 ± 0.728, at 48 hours it was 3.985 ± 1.116, at 1 month it was 2.619 ± 0.941, at 3 months it was 2.177 ± 0.666 and at 6 months it was 2.081 ± 0.708. There is a decreasing trend in the VAS score from presentation till 6 months. At presentation the mean ODI score for L3-L4 was 65.000 ± 2.098, for L4-L5 was 61.500 ± 5.589 and for L5-S1 was 62.000 ± 3.908. At 6 months the mean ODI score for L3-L4 was 36.667 ± 4.320, for L4-L5 was 27.000 ± 6.198 and for L5-S1 was 29.667 ± 6.706. The overall mean ODI at presentation was 61.909 ± 5.149, at 48 hours it was 50.788 ± 7.613, at 1 month it was 35.111 ± 9.107, at 3 months it was 30.806 ± 6.770 and at 6 months it was 28.452 ± 6.721. There is a decreasing trend in the ODI score from presentation till 6 months.
Conclusion: We conclude that there is a significant functional improvement both statistically, clinically and functionally in patients with prolapsed intervertebral disc after giving transforaminal steroid injections.
