Comparison of the effectiveness of thoracic epidural steroid and local anesthetic injections: A randomized controlled trial

This study primarily aims to evaluate the effectiveness of thoracic interlaminar epidural injections in alleviating pain and enhancing function in patients with chronic mid and/or upper back pain. One hundred patients were randomly divided into 2 groups, 50 patients in each. Group I received only a local anesthetic, whereas Group II received a combination of local anesthetic and steroids. The random assignment to either Group I or Group II was determined using a simple computer-generated sequence. The results were evaluated using the numeric rating scale and the revised Oswestry Disability Index. Patients who showed significant improvement for >4 weeks after the first 2 procedures were considered successful. Those who did not were classified as failed participants. Significant improvement was defined as a reduction by >50% in both numeric rating scale and revised Oswestry Disability Index scores, and assessments were conducted at the beginning and 3rd, 6th, and 12th months after the intervention. This study included 100 participants divided into 2 groups. At the 12th month, significant pain relief (≥50%) and a reduction of at least 50% in ODI scores from baseline were observed in 86% of patients in Group I and 90% of patients in Group II. The results achieved in this study suggest that chronic thoracic pain of non-facet joint origin can be managed conservatively using thoracic interlaminar epidural injections, either with or without steroids.