Determinants of Clinical Outcome After Caudal Epidural Adhesiolysis for Chronic Lumbar Radicular Pain

NCT07487935 | Active Not Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: MERSINALG-ADHESIOLYSIS -2026
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 40
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Chronic lumbar radicular pain is a frequently encountered condition that can cause marked pain, limited physical function, and a substantial decline in quality of life. For patients whose symptoms do not respond adequately to conservative treatment, caudal epidural adhesiolysis is considered a minimally invasive treatment option, particularly when epidural fibrosis or adhesions are thought to contribute to persistent pain. Even so, treatment response after caudal epidural adhesiolysis is not the same for every patient. Some individuals experience meaningful clinical improvement, whereas others obtain limited benefit. Understanding which factors are associated with a favorable outcome may help clinicians make better treatment decisions and identify patients who are more likely to benefit from the procedure. In this single-center retrospective cohort study, we reviewed the medical records of patients with chronic lumbar radicular pain who underwent caudal epidural adhesiolysis. The purpose of the study is to evaluate clinical success after the procedure and to explore demographic, clinical, and procedure-related factors that may influence treatment outcomes.

Conditions

Radicular Pain; Adhesiolysis; Disc Disease Lumbar

Keywords

Caudal Epidural Adhesiolysis; Interventional Pain Management; Epidural Fibrosis; Treatment Outcome; Lumbar Radiculopathy

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Clinical success based on change in pain intensity measured by the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS)

  Pain intensity will be assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale (0-10) before caudal epidural adhesiolysis and during follow-up.

  Baseline, 1 month, and 3 months after the procedure

Study Arms (1)

Patients Undergoing Caudal Epidural Adhesiolysis

This cohort consists of eligible patients with chronic lumbar radicular pain or pain related to epidural adhesions who underwent caudal epidural adhesiolysis during the study period. Only the first procedure was included for patients with repeated interventions. Clinical outcomes were assessed using pain and functional status measures recorded before the procedure and during follow-up.

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The study population consists of adult patients with chronic lumbar radicular pain or pain related to epidural adhesions who underwent caudal epidural adhesiolysis at the Mersin University Faculty of Medicine, Algology Clinic between March 1, 2023, and January 1, 2026. Only patients who met the predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria and had available pre-procedural, procedural, and post-procedural follow-up data, including Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores, were included in the analysis.

You may qualify if:

• Age 18 years or older
• Underwent caudal epidural adhesiolysis at the Mersin University Faculty of Medicine, Algology Clinic between March 1, 2023, and January 1, 2026
• Evaluated with a diagnosis of chronic lumbar radicular pain or pain related to epidural adhesions
• Availability of pre-procedural clinical data in the medical records
• Availability of procedural technical records in the medical file, including at minimum the procedure date, the level to which the catheter was advanced, and the medications administered and/or procedural details
• Availability of post-procedural follow-up data including Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores

You may not qualify if:

• Patients younger than 18 years
• Patients who underwent caudal epidural adhesiolysis outside the period from March 1, 2023, to January 1, 2026, at the Mersin University Faculty of Medicine, Algology Clinic
• Patients without a diagnosis of chronic lumbar radicular pain or pain related to epidural adhesions
• Missing essential pre-procedural clinical data in the medical records
• Insufficient procedural technical documentation in the medical file
• Absence of post-procedural clinical follow-up data
• Missing Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores in the follow-up records

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Mersin University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Mersin University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pain Medicine

Mersin, Ciftlikkoy, 33110, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

Related Publications (3)

• Moon SH, Lee JI, Cho HS, Shin JW, Koh WU. Factors for Predicting Favorable Outcome of Percutaneous Epidural Adhesiolysis for Lumbar Disc Herniation. Pain Res Manag. 2017;2017:1494538. doi: 10.1155/2017/1494538. Epub 2017 Jan 26.

  PMID: 28246488 BACKGROUND

• Kose HC, Akkaya OT. Predictive Factors Associated with Successful Response to Percutaneous Adhesiolysis in Chronic Lumbar Radicular Pain. J Clin Med. 2023 Oct 3;12(19):6337. doi: 10.3390/jcm12196337.

  PMID: 37834981 BACKGROUND

• Ege F. Evaluation of the Efficacy of Caudal Epidural Neuroplasty in Patients With Lumbar Epidural Fibrosis. Cureus. 2024 Jan 20;16(1):e52606. doi: 10.7759/cureus.52606. eCollection 2024 Jan.

  PMID: 38260106 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Intervertebral disc disease; Radiculopathy

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Peripheral Nervous System Diseases; Neuromuscular Diseases; Nervous System Diseases

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: RETROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 17, 2026
• First Posted: March 23, 2026
• Study Start: January 1, 2023
• Primary Completion: April 1, 2026
• Study Completion: May 1, 2026
• Last Updated: March 23, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-03

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TU (1)