Clinical neurosurgery
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Clinical neurosurgery · Jan 1983
Treatment of chronic pain of malignant origin with intrathecal opiates.
The acute administration of intrathecal morphine in man results in analgesia mediated by an opiate receptor. Chronically infused intraspinal opiates have an analgetic action mediated by opiate receptors. ⋯ There appear to be at least two classes of opiate receptors in the human and animal spinal cords which mediate analgesia. Our preliminary data suggest that, as in the animal model, DADL, a delta-ligand, shows significant activity in a morphine-tolerant spinal cord.
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Transcutaneous stimulation is a proven effective way to relieve pain. Its optimal use requires an accurate patient diagnosis. Treatment of pain as a symptom only is likely to fail. ⋯ The technique is inexpensive, places the patient in control of his own pain, and has no known serious side effects. Its widespread application awaits the development of reasonable systems to provide this service to physicians and patients. Stimulation-induced analgesia deserves a place in the armamentarium of every physician dealing with the complaint of pain.