Clinical outcomes of ultrasound-guided transforaminal cervical nerve root block for cervical spondylotic radiculopathy

Cervical spondylotic radiculopathy causes neck and upper-extremity pain, sensory disturbances, and functional impairment. Evidence on short-term outcomes after ultrasound-guided transforaminal cervical nerve root block (TF-CNRB) remains limited. This study examined changes in pain, neck-related disability, patient-reported improvement, analgesic use, and documented adverse events after TF-CNRB. This single-center retrospective observational study included 42 patients with cervical spondylotic radiculopathy who underwent ultrasound-guided TF-CNRB between January 2024 and December 2025. Eligible patients had a baseline Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) score ≥4 and persistent symptoms despite at least 4 weeks of conservative treatment. Patients received a single TF-CNRB and were assessed at baseline and at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months after the procedure. The primary outcome was pain intensity measured using the NRS. Secondary outcomes included the Neck Disability Index (NDI), Patient Global Impression of Change, analgesic use, and adverse events. Changes in NRS and NDI scores were evaluated using repeated-measures analyses. All 42 patients completed the 3-month follow-up. The mean NRS score decreased from 6.07 ± 0.95 at baseline to 3.17 ± 1.38 at 1 week, 3.40 ± 1.13 at 1 month, and 3.52 ± 1.13 at 3 months (overall P < .001). The mean NDI decreased from 19.3 ± 4.4% to 9.0 ± 4.2%, 9.2 ± 4.1%, and 9.7 ± 3.9%, respectively (all P < .001). The prespecified NDI minimal clinically important difference (≥5.42 percentage points) was achieved by 88.1%, 85.7%, and 83.3% of patients, respectively. At the same follow-up points, 73.8%, 73.8%, and 71.4% of patients reported being “markedly improved” or “improved” on the Patient Global Impression of Change. Analgesic use was reported by 14.3%, 11.9%, and 19.0% of patients, respectively. No serious procedure-related adverse events were documented in the available clinical records. Pain and neck-related disability were lower during the 3 months after ultrasound-guided TF-CNRB. Most patients achieved a clinically meaningful NDI reduction, and more than 70% reported favorable global improvement. No serious adverse events were documented, but the sample size and retrospective ascertainment limit conclusions about safety. The uncontrolled design precludes causal inference regarding treatment effectiveness. Larger prospective controlled studies are warranted.