The role of caudal epidural injections in the management of low back pain.

The value of caudal epidural steroid injections (CEI) in treatment of low back pain and sciatica is controversial. It is believed that CEI are mainly effective in treating acute radiculopathy at intermediate term follow up and have no long-term benefit. The objective of this study was to evaluate the role of CEI in the management of low back pain. This study reviews all patients with low back pain and sciatica treated with CEI in a one-year period (1997) in the orthopaedic department at Aberdeen. The case notes of 163 out of a possible 175 patients (87 female 76 male) with mean age of 51 years (range: 17 to 88 years) were reviewed. Data collected included primary symptoms, presentation time, presumed diagnosis, MRI diagnosis, grade of the surgeon ordering and performing the procedure, the quality and duration of response, and final outcome. Patients were regarded as having an Excellent response if they had good or excellent pain relief for more than 3 months, a Good response (6 weeks to 3 months), Fair (4 to 6 weeks), Brief (any pain relief for less than 4 weeks), and No relief. Forty-one percent of patients had either an excellent/good response to CEI while 34% were no better or worse. Patients presenting acutely or with predominantly leg pain symptoms did not respond any better to the CEI than chronic presentations or low back pain alone. Only 36 of 73 patients who were discharged had an Excellent/Good response. Therefore the response to CEI did not influence the decision to discharge half of the patients. The experience of the surgeon performing the procedure did not make a difference in the outcome. We found that the outcome of CEI was unpredictable. The clinical value of CEI remains unproven. The decision to perform the procedure may well remain a matter of personal choice and experience.