Ultrasound-guided L5 Dorsal Ramus Block

Ultrasound-guided L5 Dorsal Ramus Block: Description and Validation of a Novel Technique

Status

Completed

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Observational

Source

ClinicalTrials.gov

Registry ID

NCT03805906

Acronym

USGL5DR

Enrollment

100

Registered

2019-01-16

Start date

2019-01-12

Completion date

2019-04-30

Last updated

2020-09-16

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Pain, Back

Brief summary

This study will examine the accuracy of an ultrasound-guided L5 dorsal ramus block technique.

Detailed description

The lumbar facet joints have been implicated as a causal factor in 15 to 40% of patients suffering from chronic low back pain. Because physical examination and medical imaging have limited value in determining the source of pain, diagnostic blocks play an important role in the management of this common condition. Blocks of the L5 dorsal ramus (DR) are used to diagnosed pain originating from the L5-S1 facet joint, which is one of the most commonly implicated levels in patients with low back pain. Fluoroscopic guidance, which uses x-rays, is currently the standard imaging modality used to perform this block. Recently, ultrasound guidance has seen increasing use because of its greater accessibility and lack of ionizing radiation. Although USG has been shown to provide a high level of accuracy at other levels, the greater anatomical complexity found at the L5-S1 has hindered the development of a satisfactory L5 DR block technique. In this study the investigators will use fluoroscopic control to examine the accuracy of a novel ultrasound-guided approach to this block.

Interventions

PROCEDUREL5 Dorsal ramus block

Ultrasound-guided L5 dorsal ramus block

Study design

Observational model

COHORT

Time perspective

PROSPECTIVE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

ALL

Healthy volunteers

Inclusion criteria

-Any consenting patient over 18 years of age with axial low back pain who requires a diagnostic L5 dorsal ramus block.

Exclusion criteria

* Inability to consent * Iodine or lidocaine allergy, * Pregnancy, * Coagulopathy (as defined by an INR over 1.4, platelets under 100,000, or a documented bleeding disorder) * Inability to visualize lumbosacral anatomy during an ultrasound pre- scan

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame	Description
Block accuracy	Immediately post-injection	contrast distribution

Secondary

Measure	Time frame	Description
Performance time	Perioperative	Performance time as defined by the time the first image is acquired until the time the contrast injection is completed.
Number of needle passes	Procedure	Number of needle passes required to perform block

Countries

Canada

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 20, 2026