Effectiveness of Interventional Pain Management on Disc Herniation Resorption: Radiological Evidence.

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the change in disc herniation over time, as assessed on MRI images, in those patients who are receiving epidural steroid injections. The concept of reduction in the size of the disc, in other words, spontaneous resorption/regression will be explored and whether it has any link with administration of epidural steroid injections.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the change in disc herniation over time, as assessed on MRI images, in those patients who are receiving epidural steroid injections. The concept of reduction in the size of the disc, in other words, spontaneous resorption/regression will be explored and whether it has any link with administration of epidural steroid injections.

METHODS

This retrospective study investigates the potential link between changes in the natural history of disc morphology, specifically disc resorption, and various IPM treatments. For 449 patients the inclusion criteria encompassed LDH patients who Underwent IPM at KAUH from the period between January 2022 and January 2024 for the patient who had at least two lumbar spine MRI scans (one before and one after IPM). Patients with disc surgery after IPM and pre-or post-MRI follow-up exceeding two years were excluded.

RESULTS

Among the 128 LDH patients included in the study, 48 cases (37.5%) exhibited varying degrees of LDH resorption following IPM treatments, while 80 cases (62.5%) showed no significant change in LDH size.

CONCLUSION

The findings suggest that IPM therapies may influence the natural history of LDH morphology by decreasing disc size in a subset of patients. These results underscore the potential benefits of IPM treatments in LDH management and warrant further exploration in clinical practice and research settings.