Pain research & management : the journal of the Canadian Pain Society = journal de la société canadienne pour le traitement de la douleur
-
Understanding the size and shape of radiofrequency lesions is important to reduce side effects when applied to patients. ⋯ The Tew electrode produces lesions following the contour of the tip, and the internal radius is larger than the external and distal radius. The best combination of temperature and time for lesioning using the Tew electrode is 80 °C, for 60 s to 90 s.
-
Amiloride has been reported to produce a wide variety of actions, thereby affecting several ionic channels and a multitude of receptors and enzymes. Intrathecal α2-adrenergic receptor agonists produce pronounced analgesia, and amiloride modulates α2-adrenergic receptor agonist binding and function, acting via the allosteric site on the α2A-adrenergic receptor. ⋯ Although intrathecal tizanidine produced pronounced analgesia, antinociceptive doses of intrathecal tizanidine also produced several side effects, including bradycardia and sedation. Amiloride produced antinociceptive action against the thermal nociceptive test without side effects in rats.
-
Osmotic release oral system (OROS) hydromorphone is a potent, long-acting opioid analgesic, effective and safe for controlling cancer pain in patients who have received other strong opioids. To date, few studies have examined the efficacy of hydromorphone for pain relief in opioid-naive cancer patients. ⋯ OROS hydromorphone provided effective pain relief and improved quality of life in opioid-naive cancer patients. As a single and front-line treatment, OROS hydromorphone delivered rapid pain control.
-
An objective marker of successful stellate ganglion block (SGB) does not exist. Horner syndrome, which is currently used to determine the effect of SGB, is sometimes ambiguous. ⋯ Measurement of PTT at 5 min after local anesthetic injection can help to objectively determine the success of SGB.