This retrospective observational study reveals no evidence that dexamethasone is less effective than particulate steroids in lumbar TFESIs performed for radicular pain with or without radiculopathy.

Both transforaminal and ILESI are safely performed with low immediate and delayed adverse event rates when informed by evidence-based procedural guidelines. By demonstrating comparable safety, this study suggests that the choice between ILESI and TFESIs can be based on documented efficacy and effectiveness and not driven by safety concerns.

This study demonstrates that interventional pain procedures are safely performed with extremely low immediate adverse event rates when evidence-based guidelines are observed.

The level of termination of the conus medullaris (CM) and thecal sac (TS) is subject to variations. We try to correlate in this study these variations with the lumbar lordosis angle (LLA) using MRI scans. A retrospective study was conducted using available MRI scans of the lumbar spine. The CM level of termination (CMLT) and the TS level of termination (TSLT) were identified according to a vertebral level after dividing it into 3 parts. The LLA was also identified for each individual. Linear regression models were fitted to the data available on 141 individuals. Of these 70 were males and 71 were females. The most common site of CMLT was at the upper third of L1 (32.6%) and that of the TSLT was at the middle third of S2 (29.8%). The mean LLA was 46° (20°–81°). The most proximal CMLT was at the upper third of T12, whereas the most distal one was at the upper third of L2. The most proximal TSLT was at the upper third of S1, whereas the most distal one was at S3-S4 disc space. The CMLT showed a positive correlation with the LLA. In conclusion the CMLT and TSLT may be related to variations of the LLA.

The objective of this study is to determine the relationship of the variations of the lumbar lordosis angle (LLA) to the aortic bifurcation level and inferior vena cava (IVC) confluence level using CT angiography. A retrospective study was conducted using the data available on abdominopelvic CT angiography scans. The LLA, the level and angle of bifurcation of the aorta, the level and angle of confluence of the IVC were identified using multiplanar and 3D reconstruction. Linear regression models were fitted to the data. We interpreted 181 scans for 181 individuals having a mean age of 55 years (18-89). The most common site of aortic bifurcation was at L4-L5 disc space (34.8%) and that of vena confluence was at the upper of L5 (29.3%). The mean LLA was 34.65° (13°-77°). The mean aortic bifurcation angle was 47.43° (17°-100°) and the mean IVC confluence angle was 71.86° (30°-120°). The positions of the aortic bifurcation and venous confluence levels showed a proximal shift with an increasing LLA P < 0.001. This study showed that the level of bifurcation of the aorta and the level of confluence of the IVC may vary with the variations of the LLA.