- Willard G Hession: Division of Musculoskeletal Radiology, University of Wisconsin Medical School, Madison, WI, USA.
Epidural steroid injections have a significant role in the treatment of patients with low back, neck, and radicular pain. Although these procedures may not address the causative lesions, they often shorten the clinical course of the disease process, keep patients out of the hospital, and provide symptomatic relief that improves quality of life. These procedures are most accurately performed with fluoroscopic guidance and major complications are rare. Although support for cervical epidural steroid injection is less uniform than that for lumbar and caudal injections, a growing body of experience is beginning to support its efficacy and safety.