Regional anesthesia and pain medicine
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · May 2014
Correlation Between Altered Central Pain Processing and Concentration of Peritoneal Fluid Inflammatory Cytokines in Endometriosis Patients With Chronic Pelvic Pain.
Translational research has not yet elucidated whether alterations in central pain processes are related to peripheral inflammatory processes in chronic pain patients. We tested the hypothesis that the concentration of cytokines in the peritoneal fluid of endometriosis patients with chronic pain correlate with parameters of hyperexcitability of the nociceptive system. ⋯ Positive correlations between concentration of some cytokines in the peritoneal fluid and amplification of central pain processing were found. The results suggest that inflammatory mechanisms may be important in the pathophysiology of altered central pain processes and that cytokines produced in the environment of endometriosis could act as mediators between the peripheral lesion and changes in central nociceptive processes.
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · May 2014
Comparative StudyClinical Effectiveness of Percutaneous Adhesiolysis Versus Transforaminal Epidural Steroid Injection in Patients With Postlumbar Surgery Syndrome.
A number of patients with postlumbar surgery syndrome (PLSS) do not experience satisfactory results after epidural injection. A main reason for failure is surgically induced perineural fibrosis impeding injected material from spreading effectively into the target area. Percutaneous adhesiolysis (PA) has the ability to eliminate the deleterious effects of such adhesions. This study was to evaluate the effectiveness of PA versus transforaminal epidural steroid injection (TFESI) for treating patients with PLSS and to compare the clinical efficacy of PA according to the type of surgery. ⋯ Percutaneous adhesiolysis was more effective than TFESI in treating patients with PLSS and also showed better clinical efficacy in the decompression subgroup than in the fusion subgroup.
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · May 2014
Case ReportsConvulsions in 2 Patients After Bilateral Ultrasound-Guided Transversus Abdominis Plane Blocks for Cesarean Analgesia.
Transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block is commonly used for postcesarean section analgesia and compares favorably with other systemic and regional analgesia techniques. No major complications of ultrasound-guided TAP block have previously been reported in this indication. We report 2 cases of systemic local anesthetic toxicity in this context leading to seizures and treated with lipid emulsion. ⋯ These cases cast a cautionary note for the use of TAP blocks after cesarean delivery. The risk of systemic local anesthetic toxicity after this procedure remains unknown in this population and plasma concentration of local anesthetics should be measured in case of suspected toxicity. To limit this risk, a low concentration of local anesthetic solution should be chosen when a "20 mL bilaterally" regimen is necessary to achieve the required spread for a successful block.
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In March of 2010, President Barack Obama signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, ushering in an era of health care reform. Section 6002 of the bill, the Physician Payment Sunshine Act, requires manufacturers of drugs, devices, biological therapeutics, and medical supplies to disclose to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services any payments or transfers of value to physicians. ⋯ The purpose of this article is to inform physicians of the components of the Physician Payment Sunshine Act. We discuss several resultant challenges and suggest a framework for preparing for transparency reporting and its potential effects.
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · May 2014
Anesthesia, Outcomes, and Public Health: Changing Health Care While "Asleep"
More than 50 million surgical procedures are performed annually in the United States, with perioperative complications and related long-term adverse outcomes profoundly affecting the nation's health. A growing number of studies recognize that type of anesthesia, a main determinant of perioperative care, is associated with perioperative morbidity and mortality. ⋯ Further research is needed to elucidate the impact of anesthesia-related factors on short- and long-term health outcomes. Progress in this area of medicine and its public-health consequences will depend largely on the interest of the public, researchers, and health care policy makers.