|
|
WHAT IS A SELECT NERVE ROOT BLOCK (SNRB)?
Select Nerve Root Block is a procedure description commonly used interchangeably with Transforaminal Epidural steroid injection. However, it is a distinctly different in some important respects. Infrequently, referring physicians may request a SNRB in the true sense, for diagnostic purposes, to determine whether or not one or more nerves are involved in a patient’s pain pattern. This is accomplished by applying a small amount of local anesthesia along a specific nerve root in such a manner as to avoid generous spread of the local anesthesia back to through the foramen. Thus, no more than one nerve is affected at a time. Temporary partial or total pain relief implicates involvement of the nerves being studied. This information sometimes will help to determine what levels to include in an operation and help predict the potential effectiveness of projected surgery.
The procedure and risks are similar to the Transforaminal Epidural Steroid Injection (LESI).
|
|
