Epidural steroid injections: Complications and management

Epidural steroid injections (ESIs) are a form of interventional therapy broadly used worldwide for the treatment of pain. Although generally considered a safe treatment, with a low incidence of complications, these may range from very mild and transient symptoms to truly catastrophic events, including brain damage, spinal cord injury and death. Even when proper technique is used, sufficient training in interventional pain medicine is obtained, and adequate safety measures are taken, fatal events can occur. The purpose of this review article is to examine the reported complications of ESIs and suggested negative outcome management.