Meralgia paresthetica: Nerve stimulator-guided injection with methylprednisolone/lidocaine, a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled study.

BACKGROUND

Meralgia paresthetica is a mononeuropathy of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve. A common therapy is injection with corticosteroids. The goal of this study was to analyze the effect of injection with methylprednisolone/lidocaine vs placebo.

METHODS

After randomization, 10 patients received a nerve stimulator-guided injection with methylprednisolone/lidocaine, and 10 patients received saline. The primary outcome measure was pain (visual analogue scale, VAS).

RESULTS

In the placebo group, there was a significant pain reduction (baseline VAS, 6.8; VAS week 12, 4.3; P = .014). The VAS score in the methylprednisolone group did not show a significant reduction (baseline VAS, 7.4; VAS week 12, 4.8; P = .053). There was no significant difference in pain reduction between the groups.

CONCLUSIONS

We found no objective evidence for benefit from nerve stimulator-guided injection with corticosteroids in meralgia paresthetica, although this study is limited by a small sample size. Future placebo-controlled studies using ultrasound-guided injection are warranted.