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The Value of Short-term Pain Relief for the Prediction of Long-term Outcome After Cervical or Lumbar Nerve Root Infiltration

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Cervical Disc Herniation
Lumbar Disc Herniation
Interventions
Procedure: Lumbar nerve root infiltration
Procedure: Cervical nerve root infiltration
Drug: Mephamesone
Registration Number
NCT01945554
Lead Sponsor
Holger Joswig
Brief Summary

The purpose if this study is to assess the response to nerve root infiltration therapy in patients with cervical or lumbar disc herniations.

Detailed Description

This prospective, observational study examines the response to routine infiltration therapy in patients suffering from disc herniations of the spine. Using health-related quality of life questionnaires (SF-12 and Neck Pain and Disability Scale and Oswestry Disability Index) and the visual analogue scale the patients will be categorized into ultra-early-, early-, mid-term-, late-responders and non-responders. A two year follow-up of up to 250 patients is planned. With the anonymized participation of this study no patient will experience a change in his treatment plan. Valuable therapeutic management considerations might be drawn from the published results of this study for future patients.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
250
Inclusion Criteria
  • Symptomatic (pain) one-level cervical (C3-C8) or lumbar (L1-S1) radiculopathy with radiological evidence of discal nerve root compression
  • Minimum VAS of 20/100
  • Age between 18 - 70 years
Exclusion Criteria
  • Multilevel disc herniations with multiple symptomatic nerve root compressions
  • Higher motor deficits (Paresis M 0-3 of a peripheral muscle)
  • Age < 18 or > 70 years
  • Pregnancy
  • Allergic reaction against steroids or local anaesthetic
  • Bleeding disorder (Tc < 100.000/ul, Quick <50%, INR > 1.5, abnormal PTT)
  • Known bleeding diathesis
  • Continued anticoagulants (Warfarin = Marcoumar must be bridged with low- or high-molecular heparin; commonly, intake of Aspirin or Clopidogrel is no contraindication for infiltration therapy but is routinely paused when possible)
  • Pseudoradicular pain (e.g. in facet arthrosis, iliosacral arthrosis...) - as evaluated to the best of the knowledge of the admitting physician and radiologist performing the infiltration
  • Osseous spinal or foraminal stenosis
  • Myelopathy
  • Severe scoliosis
  • Active neoplasm
  • History of spinal infection / spondylodiscitis
  • History of spinal surgery or previous infiltration therapy on the currently painful segment
  • Rheumatic disease

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Cervical disc herniationMephamesonePatients with cervical disc herniation and compression of nerve roots C3-C8.
Lumbar disc herniationLumbar nerve root infiltrationPatients with lumbar disc herniation and compression of nerve roots L1-S1.
Cervical disc herniationCervical nerve root infiltrationPatients with cervical disc herniation and compression of nerve roots C3-C8.
Cervical disc herniation0.5% bupivacaine (Bupivacain®)Patients with cervical disc herniation and compression of nerve roots C3-C8.
Lumbar disc herniation0.5% bupivacaine (Bupivacain®)Patients with lumbar disc herniation and compression of nerve roots L1-S1.
Lumbar disc herniationKenacort®Patients with lumbar disc herniation and compression of nerve roots L1-S1.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Health-related quality of life (HRQoL)1 month

(SF)-12 questionaire Change from Baseline SF-12 at 1 month

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Ability to return to work (0-100%) and time-to-return to work.Before, 14 days, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, 24 months

Ability to return to work (0-100%) and time-to-return to work.

Frequency of opioid use (yes/no)Before, 14 days, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, 24 months

Frequency of opioid use (yes/no)

Oswestry Disability Index (ODI)Before, 14 days, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, 24 months

Oswestry Disability Index (ODI)

Need for hospitalization for disabling pain and time-to-hospitalization.14 days, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, 24 months

Need for hospitalization for disabling pain and time-to-hospitalization.

Need for repeated infiltrations and time-to-infiltration between the study groups.14 days, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, 24 months

Need for repeated infiltrations and time-to-infiltration between the study groups.

Absolute VAS pain reduction of a repeated "boost"-infiltration14 days, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, 24 months

Absolute VAS pain reduction of a repeated "boost"-infiltration

Reasons for 2nd infiltration / surgery1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, 24 months

Reasons may be either pain and/or sensory dysfunction and/or motor weakness

Percent change of pain (VAS)Before, 14 days, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, 24 months

Percent change of pain (VAS)

Neck Pain and Disability Scale (NPAD)Before, 14 days, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, 24 months

Neck Pain and Disability Scale (NPAD)

Need for additional surgical therapy and time-to-surgery.14 days, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, 24 months

Need for additional surgical therapy and time-to-surgery.

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL)Before, 14 days, 1, month, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, 24 months

(SF)-12 questionaire

Patient's satisfaction with therapy14 days, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, 24 months

Would you opt for an infiltration again (provided you had the same outcome as now)?

* certainly yes

* maybe yes

* unsure

* maybe no

* certainly no

Trial Locations

Locations (3)

Cantonal Hospital St. Gallen

🇨🇭

St. Gallen, Switzerland

Rorschach Hospital

🇨🇭

Rorschach, Saint Gallen, Switzerland

Flawil Hospital

🇨🇭

Flawil, Saint Gallen, Switzerland

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