Epidural steroid injections in the management of a patient with spinal stenosis and urinary urgency.

BACKGROUND: A 79-year-old woman with a history of chronic back pain and urinary urgency presented to a spine center for treatment and evaluation for axial low back pain. The patient described the back pain as severe with intermittent radiation into the right leg; her pain intensity was 7 out of 10 on a visual analog scale. She described her sense of urgency as severe, and could delay urination for 10 min or less. She described her bladder control as 6 out of 10 on the urgency perception score (with 0 being perfect control).

INVESTIGATIONS: Physical examination, including manual muscle testing, test for sensation to fine touch, reflex assessment and assessment of gait pattern, and MRI of the lumbar spine.

DIAGNOSIS: Overactive bladder associated with severe central-canal stenosis at L4-5, in the setting of anterolisthesis.

MANAGEMENT: Fluoroscopically guided caudal epidural steroid injection; 60 mg of triamcinolone, 3 ml of 1% lidocaine hydrochloride and 3 ml of normal saline, injected in increments.