CRIS Based Evaluation of Cervical Interlaminar Epidural Steroid Injection Outcomes

This prospective single-center study evaluates the effectiveness of fluoroscopy-guided cervical interlaminar epidural steroid injection (CIESI) in patients with unilateral, single-level cervical radiculopathy caused by cervical disc herniation and resistant to conservative treatment. The study particularly focuses on the simultaneous assessment of neck and upper extremity symptoms using the Cervical Radiculopathy Impact Scale (CRIS), a multidimensional patient-reported outcome measure. Patients meeting the eligibility criteria undergo CIESI using a parasagittal interlaminar approach under fluoroscopic guidance. Clinical evaluations are performed before the procedure and repeated at 3 weeks and 3 months after treatment. Outcome measures include CRIS, Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), Neck Disability Index (NDI), and QuickDASH scores. The primary objective is to determine the change in CRIS scores following CIESI. Secondary objectives include evaluating changes in pain severity, neck disability, and upper extremity function after the intervention. The study also investigates the relationship between CRIS improvement and changes in conventional outcome measures to assess the responsiveness and clinical utility of CRIS in cervical radiculopathy.