Jemds.com Original Research Article J Evolution Med Dent Sci / eISSN - 2278-4802, pISSN - 2278-4748 / Vol. 9 / Issue 42 / Oct. 19, 2020 Page 3133 Comparison of Lumbar Transforaminal Epidural Dexamethasone and Triamcinolone for Lumbar Radiculopathy Sheetal K. Madavi 1 , Vivek Chakole 2 , Jayashree Sen 3 , Amol Singam 4 , Saranya Rallabhandi 5 , Neeta Verma 6 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Department of Anaesthesiology, Acharya Vinoba Bhave Rural Hospital (DMIMS), Wardha, Maharashtra, India. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND Epidural blockade is becoming one of the most useful and versatile procedures in modern anaesthesiology. What is unique is its application to clinical practice, as it can be placed virtually at any spinal level of vertebral column that allows considerable flexibility. Epidural steroid injections through lumbar transforaminal route to treat pain in lower back where radiculopathy is also associated with, are used widely. It has been reported that these procedures in lumber spine are effective clinically for improved physical function in patients as well as relief of pain of short- and long-term duration. We wanted to determine as to whether there is a difference in the efficacy between nonparticulate (e.g. dexamethasone phosphate) and particulate (e.g. triamcinolone acetate) steroids in Lumbar Epidural via transforaminal approach for acute radicular pain in lumber region and adverse effects of the drugs if any. METHODS 66 patients, 33 in each group, with dexamethasone phosphate 8 mg or triamcinolone acetate 40 mg for lumbar transforaminal approach epidural steroid injection, were randomized. Observation was done through visual analog scale, short McGill pain questionnaire, revised Oswestry Disability Index before intervention and a month later. RESULTS A difference which was significant statistically in the visual analog score (2.85 ± 0.83 in group T, 5.76 ± 0.75 in group Dx), McGill Pain Questionnaire (3.73 ± 1.15 in group T, 6.55 ± 0.51 in group Dx) and Oswestry Disability Index (18.67 ± 7.13 in group T, 35.83 ± 5.10 in group Dx ) was found in both but was more in triamcinolone group. CONCLUSIONS Efficacy is more in particulate (triamcinolone) than non-particulate (dexamethasone) in epidural injection through lumbar transforaminal with no drug related complication, performed for radiculopathy in lumbar region. KEY WORDS Corticosteroid, Dexamethasone, Lumbar Radiculopathy, Transforaminal Epidural Injection, Triamcinolone Corresponding Author: Dr. Jayashree Sen. Meghdootam Apartment, House No. M4/7, Sawangi, Wardha, Maharashtra 442004, India. E-mail: jayashree_sen@rediffmail.com DOI: 10.14260/jemds/2020/687 How to Cite This Article: Madavi SK, Chakole V, Sen J, et al. Comparison of lumbar transforaminal epidural dexamethasone and triamcinolone for lumbar radiculopathy. J Evolution Med Dent Sci 2020;9(42):3133-3138, DOI: 10.14260/jemds/2020/687 Submission 17-07-2020, Peer Review 11-09-2020, Acceptance 18-09-2020, Published 19-10-2020. Copyright © 2020 JEMDS. This is an open access article distributed under Creative Commons Attribution License [Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)]