Evaluation of Treatment of Herniated Lumbar Disc Sciatica by Epidural Corticosteroid Injection

Background: Medical facilities in Vietnam both use Methylprednisolone acetate and Hydrocortisone acetate in treatment with different administrations. This study aimed to evaluate of effects and side-effects of epidural injection of Methylprednisolone acetate and Hydrocortisone acetate in the treatment of herniated lumbar disc sciatica. Methods and findings: Cross-sectional descriptive study on 80 herniated lumbar disc sciatica patients treated at Department of Orthopedic, 7A Military Hospital, Hochiminh City, VietNam. The patients were divided into two groups in coupling fashion based on the VAS score of pain. Study results showed that both corticosteroid drugs (Methylprednisolone acetate and Hydrocortisone acetate) yielded good outcomes on all investigated parameters and there was no significant difference between the two medications (p < 0.05); administration of Methylprednisolone acetate reduced VAS score of 1.98 ± 1.33 points and Hydrocortisone acetate reduced of 2.13 ± 1.17 points. Lasegue test score in Methylprednisolone acetate administered patients raised from 74.630 ± 18.820 to 80.750 ± 15.870 and in Hydrocortisone acetate patients from 71.250 ± 10.110 to 81.630 ± 8.350). Treatment methods were safe, and there was no difference in complication rates between the two groups. The direct and indirect cost of Hydrocortisone acetate administration was three times higher than Methylprednisolone acetate. Conclusion: It was safe and effective to administrate both Methylprednisolone acetate and Hydrocortisone acetate in the treatment of herniated lumbar disc sciatica. Methylprednisolone acetate administration was more economical than Hydrocortisone acetate. Keywords: Sciatica, epidural injection, Methylprednisolone acetate, Hydrocortisone acetate