Trial Outcomes & Findings for Surgery Prevention by Transforaminal Injection of Epidural Steroids for Cervical Radicular Pain (NCT NCT02226159)

NCT ID: NCT02226159

Last Updated: 2025-08-11

Results Overview

The primary outcome variable is the avoidance of surgery. Treatment success is defined as the avoidance of surgery, while treatment failure is defined as having surgery due to failure of the injection treatment to alleviate pain and improve function over the 12 months they are being followed for purposes of this study. Avoided neck surgery noted as 'Yes'; avoided neck surgery 'No' the patient had neck surgery.

Recruitment status

COMPLETED

Study phase

PHASE4

Target enrollment

65 participants

Primary outcome timeframe

12 months after the first injection

Results posted on

2025-08-11

Participant Flow

Participant milestones

Participant milestones
Measure
Lidocaine
Cervical transforaminal injection: 1.0 cc Lidocaine 1.0% with 1.0 cc normal saline Lidocaine
Lidocaine With Dexamethasone
Cervical transforaminal injection: 1.0 cc Lidocaine 1.0% with 1.0 cc of Dexamethasone (10 mg/cc) Lidocaine with Dexamethasone
Overall Study
STARTED
33
32
Overall Study
COMPLETED
27
26
Overall Study
NOT COMPLETED
6
6

Reasons for withdrawal

Withdrawal data not reported

Baseline Characteristics

Surgery Prevention by Transforaminal Injection of Epidural Steroids for Cervical Radicular Pain

Baseline characteristics by cohort

Baseline characteristics by cohort
Measure
Lidocaine
n=27 Participants
Cervical transforaminal injection: 1.0 cc Lidocaine 1.0% with 1.0 cc normal saline Lidocaine
Lidocaine With Dexamethasone
n=26 Participants
Cervical transforaminal injection: 1.0 cc Lidocaine 1.0% with 1.0 cc of Dexamethasone (10 mg/cc) Lidocaine with Dexamethasone
Total
n=53 Participants
Total of all reporting groups
Age, Continuous
50 years
n=99 Participants
53.5 years
n=107 Participants
52 years
n=206 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
17 Participants
n=99 Participants
15 Participants
n=107 Participants
32 Participants
n=206 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
10 Participants
n=99 Participants
11 Participants
n=107 Participants
21 Participants
n=206 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Hispanic or Latino
26 Participants
n=99 Participants
24 Participants
n=107 Participants
50 Participants
n=206 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Not Hispanic or Latino
0 Participants
n=99 Participants
0 Participants
n=107 Participants
0 Participants
n=206 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
1 Participants
n=99 Participants
2 Participants
n=107 Participants
3 Participants
n=206 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
American Indian or Alaska Native
0 Participants
n=99 Participants
0 Participants
n=107 Participants
0 Participants
n=206 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Asian
2 Participants
n=99 Participants
0 Participants
n=107 Participants
2 Participants
n=206 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0 Participants
n=99 Participants
0 Participants
n=107 Participants
0 Participants
n=206 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Black or African American
9 Participants
n=99 Participants
3 Participants
n=107 Participants
12 Participants
n=206 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
White
16 Participants
n=99 Participants
22 Participants
n=107 Participants
38 Participants
n=206 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
More than one race
0 Participants
n=99 Participants
0 Participants
n=107 Participants
0 Participants
n=206 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
0 Participants
n=99 Participants
1 Participants
n=107 Participants
1 Participants
n=206 Participants
Region of Enrollment
United States
27 participants
n=99 Participants
26 participants
n=107 Participants
53 participants
n=206 Participants
Verbal Numeric Pain Score
5 units on a scale
n=99 Participants
7 units on a scale
n=107 Participants
6.5 units on a scale
n=206 Participants
Neck Disability Index
33 units on a scale
n=99 Participants
35 units on a scale
n=107 Participants
34 units on a scale
n=206 Participants
Patient Satisfaction
5 units on a scale
n=99 Participants
3 units on a scale
n=107 Participants
3.5 units on a scale
n=206 Participants

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: 12 months after the first injection

The primary outcome variable is the avoidance of surgery. Treatment success is defined as the avoidance of surgery, while treatment failure is defined as having surgery due to failure of the injection treatment to alleviate pain and improve function over the 12 months they are being followed for purposes of this study. Avoided neck surgery noted as 'Yes'; avoided neck surgery 'No' the patient had neck surgery.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Lidocaine
n=27 Participants
Cervical transforaminal injection: 1.0 cc Lidocaine 1.0% with 1.0 cc normal saline Lidocaine
Lidocaine With Dexamethasone
n=26 Participants
Cervical transforaminal injection: 1.0 cc Lidocaine 1.0% with 1.0 cc of Dexamethasone (10 mg/cc) Lidocaine with Dexamethasone
Avoidance of Neck Surgery
No(had surgery)
24 Participants
20 Participants
Avoidance of Neck Surgery
Yes (Did not have surgery)
3 Participants
6 Participants

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: 4 weeks

Neck Disability Index (NDI) - The NDI consists of 10 questions. Each of the 10 items is scored from 0 (minimum) - 5(maximum). The maximum score is therefore 50. The obtained score can be multiplied by 2 to produce a percentage score (i.e. a score of 50 indicates 100% disability). Scores are reported as the percentage (i.e. 100 is the max score for data presented).

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Lidocaine
n=27 Participants
Cervical transforaminal injection: 1.0 cc Lidocaine 1.0% with 1.0 cc normal saline Lidocaine
Lidocaine With Dexamethasone
n=26 Participants
Cervical transforaminal injection: 1.0 cc Lidocaine 1.0% with 1.0 cc of Dexamethasone (10 mg/cc) Lidocaine with Dexamethasone
Disability
25.2 units on a scale
Standard Deviation 14.1
22.8 units on a scale
Standard Deviation 17.2

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: 4 weeks

Verbal Numeric Pain Scale (VNPS) -Scaled 0-10 with 10 being worst imaginable pain and 0 being no pain

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Lidocaine
n=27 Participants
Cervical transforaminal injection: 1.0 cc Lidocaine 1.0% with 1.0 cc normal saline Lidocaine
Lidocaine With Dexamethasone
n=26 Participants
Cervical transforaminal injection: 1.0 cc Lidocaine 1.0% with 1.0 cc of Dexamethasone (10 mg/cc) Lidocaine with Dexamethasone
Numeric Pain Scre
3.7 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 2.8
3.8 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 2.9

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: 4 weeks

Patient satisfaction with the treatment. Scale is an inverse of verbal numeric pain score. A 0 on VNPS equates to a 10 on patient satisfaction, 10 on VNPS equates to 0 on patient satisfaction

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Lidocaine
n=27 Participants
Cervical transforaminal injection: 1.0 cc Lidocaine 1.0% with 1.0 cc normal saline Lidocaine
Lidocaine With Dexamethasone
n=26 Participants
Cervical transforaminal injection: 1.0 cc Lidocaine 1.0% with 1.0 cc of Dexamethasone (10 mg/cc) Lidocaine with Dexamethasone
Patient Satisfaction
6.3 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 2.8
6.2 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 2.9

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: 12 weeks

Neck Disability Index- The NDI consists of 10 questions. Each of the 10 items is scored from 0 (minimum) - 5(maximum). The maximum score is therefore 50. The obtained score can be multiplied by 2 to produce a percentage score (i.e. a score of 50 indicates 100% disability). Scores are reported as the percentage (i.e. 100 is the max score for data presented).

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Lidocaine
n=27 Participants
Cervical transforaminal injection: 1.0 cc Lidocaine 1.0% with 1.0 cc normal saline Lidocaine
Lidocaine With Dexamethasone
n=26 Participants
Cervical transforaminal injection: 1.0 cc Lidocaine 1.0% with 1.0 cc of Dexamethasone (10 mg/cc) Lidocaine with Dexamethasone
Disability
25.1 units on a scale
Standard Deviation 15.3
18.3 units on a scale
Standard Deviation 18.4

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: 6 Months

Neck Disability Index- The NDI consists of 10 questions. Each of the 10 items is scored from 0 (minimum) - 5(maximum). The maximum score is therefore 50. The obtained score can be multiplied by 2 to produce a percentage score (i.e. a score of 50 indicates 100% disability). Scores are reported as the percentage (i.e. 100 is the max score for data presented).

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Lidocaine
n=27 Participants
Cervical transforaminal injection: 1.0 cc Lidocaine 1.0% with 1.0 cc normal saline Lidocaine
Lidocaine With Dexamethasone
n=26 Participants
Cervical transforaminal injection: 1.0 cc Lidocaine 1.0% with 1.0 cc of Dexamethasone (10 mg/cc) Lidocaine with Dexamethasone
Disability
19.4 units on a scale
Standard Deviation 14.0
16.3 units on a scale
Standard Deviation 17.5

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: 12 Months

Neck Disability Index- The NDI consists of 10 questions. Each of the 10 items is scored from 0 (minimum) - 5(maximum). The maximum score is therefore 50. The obtained score can be multiplied by 2 to produce a percentage score (i.e. a score of 50 indicates 100% disability). Scores are reported as the percentage (i.e. 100 is the max score for data presented).

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Lidocaine
n=27 Participants
Cervical transforaminal injection: 1.0 cc Lidocaine 1.0% with 1.0 cc normal saline Lidocaine
Lidocaine With Dexamethasone
n=26 Participants
Cervical transforaminal injection: 1.0 cc Lidocaine 1.0% with 1.0 cc of Dexamethasone (10 mg/cc) Lidocaine with Dexamethasone
Disability
16.4 units on a scale
Standard Deviation 14.4
15.4 units on a scale
Standard Deviation 10.2

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: 12 weeks

Verbal Numeric Pain Scale-Scaled 0-10 with 10 being worst imaginable pain and 0 being no pain

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Lidocaine
n=27 Participants
Cervical transforaminal injection: 1.0 cc Lidocaine 1.0% with 1.0 cc normal saline Lidocaine
Lidocaine With Dexamethasone
n=26 Participants
Cervical transforaminal injection: 1.0 cc Lidocaine 1.0% with 1.0 cc of Dexamethasone (10 mg/cc) Lidocaine with Dexamethasone
Numeric Pain Score
3.6 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 2.4
3.4 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 3.0

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: 6 Months

Verbal Numeric Pain Scale-Scaled 0-10 with 10 being worst imaginable pain and 0 being no pain

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Lidocaine
n=27 Participants
Cervical transforaminal injection: 1.0 cc Lidocaine 1.0% with 1.0 cc normal saline Lidocaine
Lidocaine With Dexamethasone
n=26 Participants
Cervical transforaminal injection: 1.0 cc Lidocaine 1.0% with 1.0 cc of Dexamethasone (10 mg/cc) Lidocaine with Dexamethasone
Numeric Pain Score
3.0 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 2.4
2.2 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 2.8

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: 12 Months

Verbal Numeric Pain Scale-Scaled 0-10 with 10 being worst imaginable pain and 0 being no pain

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Lidocaine
n=27 Participants
Cervical transforaminal injection: 1.0 cc Lidocaine 1.0% with 1.0 cc normal saline Lidocaine
Lidocaine With Dexamethasone
n=26 Participants
Cervical transforaminal injection: 1.0 cc Lidocaine 1.0% with 1.0 cc of Dexamethasone (10 mg/cc) Lidocaine with Dexamethasone
Numeric Pain Score
2.9 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 2.8
3.2 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 3.1

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: 12 weeks

Patient satisfaction with the treatment. Scale is an inverse of verbal numeric pain score. A 0 on VNPS equates to a 10 on patient satisfaction, 10 on VNPS equates to 0 on patient satisfaction

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Lidocaine
n=27 Participants
Cervical transforaminal injection: 1.0 cc Lidocaine 1.0% with 1.0 cc normal saline Lidocaine
Lidocaine With Dexamethasone
n=26 Participants
Cervical transforaminal injection: 1.0 cc Lidocaine 1.0% with 1.0 cc of Dexamethasone (10 mg/cc) Lidocaine with Dexamethasone
Patient Satisfaction
6.4 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 2.4
6.6 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 3.0

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: 6 months

Patient satisfaction with the treatment. Scale is an inverse of verbal numeric pain score. A 0 on VNPS equates to a 10 on patient satisfaction, 10 on VNPS equates to 0 on patient satisfaction

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Lidocaine
n=27 Participants
Cervical transforaminal injection: 1.0 cc Lidocaine 1.0% with 1.0 cc normal saline Lidocaine
Lidocaine With Dexamethasone
n=26 Participants
Cervical transforaminal injection: 1.0 cc Lidocaine 1.0% with 1.0 cc of Dexamethasone (10 mg/cc) Lidocaine with Dexamethasone
Patient Satisfaction
7.0 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 2.4
7.8 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 2.8

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: 12 months

Patient satisfaction with the treatment. Scale is an inverse of verbal numeric pain score. A 0 on VNPS equates to a 10 on patient satisfaction, 10 on VNPS equates to 0 on patient satisfaction

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Lidocaine
n=27 Participants
Cervical transforaminal injection: 1.0 cc Lidocaine 1.0% with 1.0 cc normal saline Lidocaine
Lidocaine With Dexamethasone
n=26 Participants
Cervical transforaminal injection: 1.0 cc Lidocaine 1.0% with 1.0 cc of Dexamethasone (10 mg/cc) Lidocaine with Dexamethasone
Patient Satisfaction
7.2 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 2.8
6.8 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 3.1

Adverse Events

Lidocaine

Serious events: 0 serious events
Other events: 3 other events
Deaths: 0 deaths

Lidocaine With Dexamethasone

Serious events: 0 serious events
Other events: 9 other events
Deaths: 0 deaths

Serious adverse events

Adverse event data not reported

Other adverse events

Other adverse events
Measure
Lidocaine
n=27 participants at risk
Cervical transforaminal injection: 1.0 cc Lidocaine 1.0% with 1.0 cc normal saline Lidocaine
Lidocaine With Dexamethasone
n=26 participants at risk
Cervical transforaminal injection: 1.0 cc Lidocaine 1.0% with 1.0 cc of Dexamethasone (10 mg/cc) Lidocaine with Dexamethasone
General disorders
Numbness and tingling
3.7%
1/27 • Number of events 1 • Adverse Events (AEs) are collected at weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, and 12, then at 6 months and 12 months
3.8%
1/26 • Number of events 1 • Adverse Events (AEs) are collected at weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, and 12, then at 6 months and 12 months
General disorders
Fever
3.7%
1/27 • Number of events 1 • Adverse Events (AEs) are collected at weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, and 12, then at 6 months and 12 months
0.00%
0/26 • Adverse Events (AEs) are collected at weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, and 12, then at 6 months and 12 months
General disorders
Flu-like symptoms
3.7%
1/27 • Number of events 1 • Adverse Events (AEs) are collected at weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, and 12, then at 6 months and 12 months
0.00%
0/26 • Adverse Events (AEs) are collected at weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, and 12, then at 6 months and 12 months
General disorders
Headache
3.7%
1/27 • Number of events 1 • Adverse Events (AEs) are collected at weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, and 12, then at 6 months and 12 months
11.5%
3/26 • Number of events 3 • Adverse Events (AEs) are collected at weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, and 12, then at 6 months and 12 months
Musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders
Increased arm/neck pain
3.7%
1/27 • Number of events 1 • Adverse Events (AEs) are collected at weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, and 12, then at 6 months and 12 months
26.9%
7/26 • Number of events 7 • Adverse Events (AEs) are collected at weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, and 12, then at 6 months and 12 months
General disorders
chest pain
0.00%
0/27 • Adverse Events (AEs) are collected at weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, and 12, then at 6 months and 12 months
3.8%
1/26 • Number of events 1 • Adverse Events (AEs) are collected at weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, and 12, then at 6 months and 12 months
General disorders
Dizziness
0.00%
0/27 • Adverse Events (AEs) are collected at weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, and 12, then at 6 months and 12 months
3.8%
1/26 • Number of events 1 • Adverse Events (AEs) are collected at weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, and 12, then at 6 months and 12 months
General disorders
Nausea
0.00%
0/27 • Adverse Events (AEs) are collected at weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, and 12, then at 6 months and 12 months
7.7%
2/26 • Number of events 2 • Adverse Events (AEs) are collected at weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, and 12, then at 6 months and 12 months
Respiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders
shortness of breath
0.00%
0/27 • Adverse Events (AEs) are collected at weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, and 12, then at 6 months and 12 months
3.8%
1/26 • Number of events 1 • Adverse Events (AEs) are collected at weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, and 12, then at 6 months and 12 months
General disorders
hot/flushed feeling
0.00%
0/27 • Adverse Events (AEs) are collected at weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, and 12, then at 6 months and 12 months
3.8%
1/26 • Number of events 1 • Adverse Events (AEs) are collected at weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, and 12, then at 6 months and 12 months
General disorders
Pain at injection site
0.00%
0/27 • Adverse Events (AEs) are collected at weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, and 12, then at 6 months and 12 months
3.8%
1/26 • Number of events 1 • Adverse Events (AEs) are collected at weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, and 12, then at 6 months and 12 months

Additional Information

Susan Odum

OrthoCarolina Research Institute

Phone: 7049457710

Results disclosure agreements

  • Principal investigator is a sponsor employee
  • Publication restrictions are in place