earticle

영어

Cervical Epidural Steroid Injection (CESI) is generally performed as a conservative treatment for neck pain or radiating pain in the upper extremity due to cervical disc herniation and stenosis. Although the incidence of complications after an epidural steroid injection is reported to be relatively low, various side effects such as traumatic damage to the spinal nerve, dural puncture, and infection may occur. However, permanent nerve damage and neurological side effects are known to be very rare, with an approximate level of 1:100,000. In the case of nerve damage, a single nerve may be affected, causing temporary paralysis or muscle weakness. Still, these effects are usually temporary and will fully recover within a few days or weeks. Permanent nerve damage is sporadic. Moreover, the development of persistent allodynia after epidural injection is a much rarer complication, and only a few cases have been reported in the literature. Therefore, we would like to share our experience against the occurrence of persistent allodynia without any evidence of nerve damage during cervical epidural steroid injections for patients with cervical disc herniation.