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Background and Aims Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is the most common indication for lumbar surgery in elderly patients. Epidural injections of calcitonin is effective in LSS management. Because the efficacy of different epidural injection methods is different, the aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of transforaminal and caudal injections of Calcitonin in patients with LSS.

Methods In this clinical trial, LSS patients into two equal groups (N=20) A) Caudal epidural calcitonin (50 IU of calcitonin via caudal epidural injection) and B) Transforminal epidural calcidonin (50 IU of calcitonin via transforminal epidural injection) were assessed. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for assessment of pain and Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire (ODI) for assessment of the patient‘s inability to stand was used. VAS and ODI score were recorded and analyzed

Results The results showed that caudal and transformaminal epidural injection of calcitonin during follow-up significantly improves pain and inability to stand compared to before intervention (P<0.05) and caudal epidural injection of calcitonin after 6 months significantly reduced pain in LSS patients compared to transformaminal epidural injection of calcitonin (P<0.05), but no significant difference was observed between the two methods of epidural injection in improving the inability to stand (P>0.05).

Conclusions From the results of the present study, it is concluded that epidural injection of calcitonin in long-term follow-up (6 months) has a significant effect on improving pain intensity and mobility in patients with LSS, and this effect on pain, in the case of caudal epidural injection significantly more than transforaminal method.