Transforaminal epidural Etanercept for the treatment of prolapsed lumbar intervertebral disc induced sciatica

Ashish Dagar; Ramesh Kumar; Abhishek Kashyap; Vinay Prabhat; Hitesh Lal; Lalit Kumar

doi:10.1016/j.jcot.2016.10.004

Transforaminal epidural Etanercept for the treatment of prolapsed lumbar intervertebral disc induced sciatica

J Clin Orthop Trauma. 2017 Apr-Jun;8(2):148-152. doi: 10.1016/j.jcot.2016.10.004. Epub 2016 Oct 25.

Authors

Ashish Dagar¹, Ramesh Kumar¹, Abhishek Kashyap¹, Vinay Prabhat¹, Hitesh Lal¹, Lalit Kumar¹

Affiliation

¹ Central Institute of Orthopaedics, Vardhaman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India.

Abstract

Study design: Hospital based prospective study.

Objective: To study clinical response of transforaminal epidural Etanercept for lumbar prolapsed intervertebral disc induced sciatica.

Method: Patients presenting to O.P.D and Emergency services of our hospital were screened for inclusion and exclusion criteria & suitable candidates were enrolled in study. Patients received 2 transforaminal epidural injections of Etanercept 2 mg, 2 weeks apart, and were assessed for efficacy at 2 week, 1 month and 3 months after the second injection. Primary outcome was based on Visual Analog Scale for leg (VASL) and back pain (VASB) and secondary outcome was based on Modified Oswestry back related disability index (ODI).

Results: 31 of 33 enrolled patients completed study. Patients showed clinically and statistically significant (p < 0.001) reduction in VASL, VASB and ODI. There was no incidence of adverse events.

Conclusion: Epidural Etanercept is promising and effective non-operative treatment for patients with sciatica. But these results need to be confirmed by a randomized controlled trial.

Keywords: Etanercept; Sciatica; Transforaminal.