The purposes of this study were to verify the effect of selective nerve root injection for sciatica caused by lumbosacral radiculopathy and to compare the difference of the therapeutic effects with the various clinical parameters and the morphologic types of herniated intervertebral disc on MRI finding.

Forty-two patients, 14 males and 28 females, with an average age of 51 years (range, 26∼71) and an average duration of symptoms of 17.8 months (range, 1∼120) presenting with sciatica thought to be due to lumbosacral nerve root compromise were admitted to the study. All of the patients underwent clinical examination and lumbosacral MRI. Epiradicular infiltration of corticosteroids and local anesthetics by the transforaminal route under the image intensifier was done as a treatment. All the patients were followed up at 2 weeks and 3 months after the injection.

A high proportion of patients made a satisfactory relief of sciatica with a selective nerve root injection at 2 weeks (85.7%) and 3 months (76.2%) follow-up. Among the patients who showed a significant symptom relief at 3 months, 12 patients were followed up and the relieved symptoms lasted for 6 months to 1 year in majority of those patients. In a few patients with clinical improvements at 2 weeks after the injection, the symptoms recurred at 3 months (9/36, 25%) and between 6 months to 1 year (3/12, 25%). There were no differences of the therapeutic effects according to the duration of the disease, neurologic findings on physical examination and the MRI findings of herniated intervertebral discs.

The selective nerve root injection can be an effective therapeutic modality for the treatment of sciatica in lumbosacral radiculopathy.