• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.126-129
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• 1996

Background: Advantages of paramedian approach over midline approach include less tissue trauma and less dependence on patient's ability to assume a fetal position. When midline approach fails in patients who are difficult to take a position with lumbar spine flexed, paramedian approach to interlaminar space may succeed. Methods: Success rates of spinal anesthesia were measured for 47 flexed patients by midline approach, 48 flexed patients by paramedian approach, 23 straightened patients receiving spinal anesthesia by midline approach, and 23 straightened patients by paramedian approach. Results: Success rates in flexed patients were 100% by midline approach and 100% by paramedian approach. Success rates for straightened patients were 13.0% by midline approach and 78.3% by paramedian approach. For straightened patients there were no correlations between success fate and age, weight, Ponderal Index but there were correlations between height and midline approach of spinal anesthesia. Conclusion: Pertaining to adult Koreans, success rates of spinal anesthesia for strainghtened patients were less than those for flexed patients. Success rate of paramedian approach of spinal anesthesia among strainghtened patients were better than those of midline approach.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.353-359
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• 2014

Background: Epidural steroid injections are an accepted procedure for the conservative management of chronic backache caused by lumbar disc pathology. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the epidurographic findings for the midline, transforaminal and parasagittal approaches in lumbar epidural steroid injections, and correlating them with the clinical improvement. Methods: Sixty chronic lower back pain patients with unilateral radiculitis from a herniated/degenerated disc were enrolled. After screening the patients according to the exclusion criteria and randomly allocating them to 3 groups of 20 patients, fluoroscopic contrast enhanced epidural steroids were injected via midline (group 1), transforaminal (group 2) and parasagittal interlaminar (group 3) approaches at the level of the pathology. The fluoroscopic patterns of the three groups were studied and correlated with the clinical improvement measured by the VAS over the next 3 months; any incidences of complications were recorded. Results: The transforaminal group presented better results in terms of VAS reduction than the midline and parasagittal approach groups (P < 0.05). The epidurography showed a better ventral spread for both the transforaminal (P < 0.001) and the paramedian approaches (P < 0.05), as compared to the midline approach. The nerve root filling was greater in the transforaminal group (P < 0.001) than in the other two groups. The ventral spread of the contrast agent was associated with improvement in the VAS score and this difference was statistically significant in group 1 (P < 0.05), and highly significant in groups 2 and 3 (P < 0.001). In all the groups, any complications observed were transient and minor. Conclusions: The midline and paramedian approaches are technically easier and statistically comparable, but clinically less efficacious than the transforaminal approach. The incidence of ventral spread and nerve root delineation show a definite correlation with clinical improvement. However, an longer follow-up period is advisable for a better evaluation of the actual outcom.