Effect of facet joint injection in lumbar spinal stenosis: Experience of Rheumatology Hospital Unit of Cotonou (Benin)

Aim of the workTo evaluate the effect of facet joint injection in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis due to facet joint arthrosis in the Rheumatology Department of National Hospital University-Hubert Koutoukou Maga of Cotonou (Benin).Patients and methodsA prospective case-control study was conducted from January 2011 to June 2013. The selected patients suffered from lumbar spinal stenosis due to facet joint arthrosis and received two corticosteroid facet joint injections at two week intervals compared to the control-group with the same disease. Demographic data, clinical parameters and outcomes in six months were collected. The primary endpoint was the reduction of visual analogue score (VAS) for pain.ResultsSixty-four patients received a facet joint injection against 65 patients in the control group. The mean age was 67.03 ± 12.1 and 66.02 ± 13.7 and the sex ratio was 0.64 and 0.71, respectively in the “injection group” and “control group.” All patients had a VAS > 4. At one, three and six months, 53 (82.2%), 41 (64.06) and 26 (40.62) patients had, respectively more than 75% pain reduction against 27 (41.53%), 15 (23.08) and 7 (10.77) patients in the control group (p < 0.01). Patients in the injection group were five times more improved than the control group at six months with OR = 5.67 95% CI[2.07, 6.16].ConclusionThis work shows the effectiveness of facet joint injections to relieve pain due to facet joint arthrosis that continued at six months of follow up.