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Background and Aims This study was conducted to assess the efficacy of combining transforaminal epidural steroid injection (TFESI) with caudal epidural steroid injection (CESI) versus TFESI with interlaminar epidural steroid injection (ILESI) on patient pain, anxiety, and disability status in individuals suffering from radicular pain

Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in the National Hospital & Medical Centre Lahore from September 2022 to September 2023. Eighty patients with low backache and radicular pain who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled. The patients were randomly divided into Group A (TFESI + CESI, n=40) and Group B (TFESI + ILESI).

Results The mean age of the patients in Group A was 59.4 ± 10.2 years, while in Group B, it was 57.6 ± 11.1 years. Most patients were females, accounting for 58 (72.5%) of the study population. There was a significant decrease in the mean NRS score at 2, 4, and 12 weeks compared to the baseline value in Group B (p=0.01). Similarly, the mean Hamilton Anxiety Score and Oswestry Disability Score were significantly reduced after the intervention in Group B (p=0.04, p=0.01, respectively). Comparable findings were observed in Group A, with significant decreases in the mean NRS score at 2, 4, and 12 weeks (p=0.02) and substantial reductions in the Hamilton Anxiety Score and Oswestry Disability Score (p=0.001, p=0.03, respectively).

Conclusions This study found that combining CESI and TFESI with catheter offered a slightly more effective pain reduction than TFESI and ILESI after 12 weeks.