Nerve root block in lumbar canal stenosis

Abstract

We studied 81 patients (38 males and 43 females whose age at the time of surgery raneged 52-89years) who presented with radicular symptoms who received nerve root block. We sought to clarify the relationship between the therapeutic effect of nerve root block and age at surgery, duration of symptoms, pre-operative JOA score, the findings of myelogram, the location of the dorsal root ganglion (DRG), the diameter of the lateral recess and the diameter of the spinal canal. A significant relationship was demonstratd between the therapeutic effect of nerve root block and pre-operative JOA score, the findings of myelogram and the diameter of the lateral recess. In the cases of aged patients over 65 with proximally located DRG, nerve root block was more effective, because the diameter of the lateral recess of them was more wide than that of younger patients.