Objective: To evaluate the therapeutic outcomes of ultrasound-guided intra-articular Corticosteroid injections for facet joint-related pain in patients with lumbar spondylosis at Thai Nguyen National Hospital.
Materials and methods: A prospective interventional study was conducted over 6 months in 34 patients diagnosed with facet joint osteoarthritic pain from August 2024 to September 2025 at Thai Nguyen National Hospital. Eligible patients underwent clinical examination and lumbar spine magnetic resonance imaging prior to treatment. Each symptomatic facet joint was injected with 1 mL of Hydrocortisone Lidocaine Richter under ultrasound guidance. Treatment outcomes were assessed using the VAS for pain intensity and the ODI for lumbar functional limitation at the following time points baseline (T0), 1 month post-intervention (T1), 3 months post-intervention (T3), and 6 months post-intervention (T6).
Results: The mean age of patients was 65.85 ± 11.95 years, with 79.4% being female. VAS scores demonstrated a statistically significant reduction across all post-intervention evaluations: 7.03 ± 1.0 (T0), 3.00 ± 0.7 (T1), 3.26 ± 0.9 (T3), and 3.8 ± 0.8 (T6) (p < 0.05). Similarly, ODI scores improved significantly over time: 44.8 ± 13.5 (T0), 18.2 ± 10.6 (T1), 25.3 ± 10.4 (T3), and 32.8 ± 12.1 (T6) (p < 0.05). The therapeutic effect gradually diminished from T1 to T6. No adverse events or complications were observed throughout the study.
Conclusion: Ultrasound-guided intra-articular Corticosteroid injection for facet joint-related pain in patients with lumbar spondylosis is a safe and effective intervention, resulting in significant pain reduction and improved lumbar spine mobility.