Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Single epidural steroid injection helps dogs with lumbosacral
By Gomes, S A et al.·Published in Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)·2020·Dovecote Veterinary Hospital, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Single dose epidural methylprednisolone as a treatment and predictor of outcome following subsequent decompressive surgery in degenerative lumbosacral stenosis with foraminal stenosis.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs with degenerative lumbosacral stenosis (a condition affecting the lower spine) received a single epidural steroid injection to relieve pain and improve mobility. Most dogs showed improvement after the injection, but some experienced a relapse within a few months. For those who didn't improve with the injection, surgery was recommended, and all dogs that underwent surgery showed significant improvement in pain and mobility afterward. While the steroid injection helped many dogs, surgery ultimately provided better long-term results for managing this condition.
People also search for: dog back pain treatment · epidural steroid injection for dogs · surgery for degenerative lumbosacral stenosis in dogs
Abstract
Alternative treatments to surgery in canine degenerative lumbosacral stenosis (DLSS) remain limited and reliable predictors of outcome are lacking. The aims of this clinical trial were threefold: to assess the usefulness of single epidural steroid injection (ESI) in DLSS, to compare the outcomes of ESI and decompressive surgery, and evaluate ESI as a predictor of outcome following decompressive surgery. Dogs diagnosed with DLSS were prospectively recruited and administered an ESI. If clinical signs persisted or relapsed, decompressive surgery was recommended. Follow-up was obtained. Thirty-two dogs underwent ESI with 17 having subsequent surgery. Improvement after ESI was seen in 27/32 dogs (84.4%), with 17/22 (77.2%) relapsing within 6 months (n = 15/17 relapsing within 2 months). Five dogs failed to respond to ESI and another five (15.6%) presented a persistent post-ESI favourable response (mean follow-up time, 9.4 months). Post-surgical improvement occurred in all dogs. Outcome appeared more favourable following surgical decompression, with a trend towards reduced pain, increased mobility, and greater quality of life score. This study was unable to demonstrate that ESI could predict surgical outcome. ESI was confirmed as an effective treatment in most but not all cases, leading to transient alleviation of clinical signs for longer than previously reported. ESI provided a complete and apparently long-term sustained resolution of clinical signs in a subset of dogs. Despite this, there was indication that surgical decompression can lead to a more favourable outcome. Epidural steroid injection has a role in the management of DLSS dogs, particularly when surgery is not an option.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32546351/