Cervical Epidural Steroid Injection With Intrinsic Spinal Cord Damage

Abstract

These case reports indicate fluoroscopic guidance will not insure or prevent intrathecal perforation or spinal cord penetration during the administration of cervical epidural steroid injections. In addition, although intravenous sedations during cervical epidural steroid injections have been used numerous times without reported complications, it appears intravenous sedation in these two cases resulted in the inability of the patient to experience the expected pain and paresthesias at the time of spinal cord irritation. Therefore, the authors conclude that the patient should be fully awake during the administration of cervical epidural steroid injections, with only local anesthetic in the skin used for analgesia.