CONTROVERSY - THE USE OF SELECTIVE NERVE ROOT BLOCKS - DIAGNOSTIC, THERAPEUTIC, OR PLACEBO

An increasing number of therapeutic spinal injections are performed ea ch year despite little validation in randomized controlled trials. Add itional injections are performed for diagnostic purposes of localizing symptomatic nerve roots, again without detailed evaluation specificit y, or sensitivity. Drs. Slosar and White argue that selective nerve ro ot blocks are extremely useful; Dr. Wetzel believes that selective ner ve root blocks have no role in selecting patients for surgery.