This triple-blinded randomized controlled trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) versus a traditional corticosteroid (triamcinolone) via transforaminal epidural injection for single-level lumbar disc herniation. The study randomized 30 patients who had failed conservative therapy into two equal groups of 15. The primary outcome revealed that the PRP group achieved statistically and clinically significant superior reductions in radicular leg pain (LegVAS) at 6, 12, and 24 weeks compared to the triamcinolone group. Furthermore, while both treatments demonstrated comparable improvements in back pain, the PRP group achieved a clinically meaningful improvement in functional disability (Oswestry Disability Index) by the 24-week mark. No adverse events occurred in either cohort, but two patients in the steroid group required surgery due to persistent pain, compared to zero failures in the PRP group. The authors conclude that a noncommercial, double-spin PRP protocol provides a safe, reproducible, and longer-lasting therapeutic effect for radicular pain, making it a highly effective alternative to corticosteroids.
