Ultrasound-Guided Cervical Selective Nerve Root Block versus Fluoroscopy-Guided Interlaminar Epidural Injection for Cervical Radicular Pain: A Randomized, Prospective, Controlled Study

Ultrasound (US)-guided cervical selective nerve root block (CSNRB) procedures are increasingly being performed as an alternative to conventional fluoroscopy (FL)-guided epidural injections for the treatment of cervical radicular pain. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of US-guided CSNRB versus FL-guided interlaminar cervical epidural steroid injection (IL-CESI) for cervical radicular pain. A total of 60 patients with cervical radicular pain due to a single-level disc herniation were randomized into either the FL or US group. The numeric rating scale, Short Form-36, and neck disability index were evaluated before treatment at months 1, 3, and 6 after treatment. Procedure time, complications, pain medication consumption, and patient satisfaction were also recorded. Patients experienced significant improvement in pain, disability, and quality of life scores up to 6 months after the procedure (p < 0.001). Treatment success rate was achieved in 56.6% of the IL-CESI group and 50% of the CSNRB group without any significant difference between the study arms (p = 0.617). US-guided CSNRB was shown to be as effective as the FL-guided IL-CESI in the treatment of cervical radicular pain, in addition to the absence of radiation exposure and requiring less procedure time.