Regional anesthesia and pain medicine
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The burden of chronic headache disorders in the United States is substantial. Some patients are treatment refractory. Ketamine, an N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonist, provides potent analgesia in subanesthetic doses in chronic pain, and limited data suggest it may alleviate headache in some patients. ⋯ Ketamine was associated with short-term analgesia in many refractory headache patients with tolerable adverse events. A prospective study is warranted to confirm this and elucidate responder characteristics.
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · Nov 2018
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyUltrasound-Guided Infraclavicular Brachial Plexus Block: Prospective Randomized Comparison of the Lateral Sagittal and Costoclavicular Approach.
It has recently been proposed that an infraclavicular brachial plexus block (BPB) at the costoclavicular (CC) space may overcome some of the limitations of the lateral sagittal (LS) approach. In this study, we hypothesized that the CC approach will produce faster onset of sensory blockade of the 4 major terminal nerves of the brachial plexus than the LS approach. ⋯ This study was registered at the Centre for Clinical Trials of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, identifier CUHK_CCT00389.
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Fascia iliaca block or femoral nerve block is used frequently in hip fracture patients because of their opioid-sparing effects and reduction in opioid-related adverse effects. A recent anatomical study on hip innervation led to the identification of relevant landmarks to target the hip articular branches of femoral nerve and accessory obturator nerve. Using this information, we developed a novel ultrasound-guided approach for blockade of these articular branches to the hip, the PENG (PEricapsular Nerve Group) block. In this report, we describe the technique and its application in 5 consecutive patients.
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · Nov 2018
Improving Clinical Proficiency Using a 3-Dimensionally Printed and Patient-Specific Thoracic Spine Model as a Haptic Task Trainer.
Advanced haptic simulators for neuraxial training are expensive, have a finite life, and are not patient specific. We sought to demonstrate the feasibility of developing a custom-made, low-cost, 3-dimensionally printed thoracic spine simulator model from patient computed tomographic scan data. This study assessed the model's practicality, efficiency as a teaching tool, and the transfer of skill set into patient care. ⋯ By using patient-specific, 3-dimensionally printed, thoracic spine models, we demonstrated a significant improvement in clinical proficiency as compared with traditional teaching models.