Abstract
Objective: To compare the efficacy of different corticosteroids (dexamethasone, betamethasone and triamcinolone) used in the trunk branch block technique, by assessing the improvement of pain in patients with low back pain. Methods: 60 patients over 18 years old, complaining of low back pain refractory to conservative treatment, diagnosed with extruded foraminal lumbar disc herniation by means of magnetic resonance imaging, without vertebral instability criteria in dynamic lumbar spine radiographs were divided into 3 groups of 20 individuals each. Group 1 received dexamethasone, Group 2 betamethasone and Group 3 triamcinolone. All patients responded to the visual analogue scale in the pre-blocking periods and at 1, 6 and 12 months after performing the same for pain assessment. Results: A significant improvement in pain was observed after the blockade in all 3 groups, with no statistical difference between the drugs. Conclusion: Blockade of the trunk branch is an effective technique in the treatment of lumbar sciatica, however, there is no difference in the effectiveness of the three drugs studied. Therefore, the choice of corticosteroids should be made individually, considering factors not evaluated in this study, such as availability, cost and adverse reactions.