Turkish Neurosurgery
Comparison of the Use of Peripheral Nerve Stimulator and Quincke Needle for Lumbar Transforaminal Epidural Steroid Injections
Rekib SACAKLIDIR1, Habip YILMAZ2, Ekim Can OZTURK1, Osman Hakan GUNDUZ1, Savas SENCAN1
1Marmara University School of Medicine, Division of Pain Medicine, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, İSTANBUL,
2Istanbul Provincial Health Directorate, İSTANBUL,
DOI: 10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.43946-23.4

Aim:Transforaminal epidural steroid injection (TFESI) is a frequently performed, minimally invasive procedure for addressing lumbosacral radicular pain that often uses Quincke and Stimuplex (peripheral nerve stimulator) needles for injection. This study aimed to compare the procedural features of TFESI performed using these two different needles (Stimuplex® and Quincke) in terms of procedure time, exposed radiation dose and adverse effects and complications, thus providing preliminary data to aid needle selection for TFESI.Material and Methods:Patients who received fluoroscopy-guided single-level lumbosacral TFESI between September 2020 and September 2021 were retrospectively included in this study. The patients were divided into two groups with respect to the needle type used for the procedure, those treated with a Quincke needle were classified as Group Q and those treated with a Stimuplex® needle comprised Group S. Subsequently, the two groups were compared in terms of their demographic data, procedure time, radiation dose, amount of contrast use, first-hour numeric rating scale (NRS), intravascular flow and complication rates.Results:The number of patients recruited for Groups Q and S was 65 and 61, respectively. No significant difference was observed between the groups regarding their demographic data, preprocedural NRS scores, procedure time, exposed radiation dose and the amount of contrast dye used. Notably, the first-hour NRS scores were found to be significantly lower in Group S (p = 0.040) after the procedure. Moreover, the intravascular contrast spread was significantly different between the two groups (p < 0.05), it was encountered during four procedures in Group Q, but was altogether absent in Group S.Conclusion:The Stimuplex needle may decrease the possibility of inadvertent intravascular leakages during TFESI and may also improve immediate pain scores after the procedure.

Corresponding author : Rekib SACAKLIDIR