Pain medicine : the official journal of the American Academy of Pain Medicine
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Review
The Evolution of Neuromodulation in the Treatment of Chronic Pain: Forward-Looking Perspectives.
The field of neuromodulation is continually evolving, with the past decade showing significant advancement in the therapeutic efficacy of neuromodulation procedures. The continued evolution of neuromodulation technology brings with it the promise of addressing the needs of both patients and physicians, as current technology improves and clinical applications expand. ⋯ The field of neuromodulation is undergoing a renaissance of technology development with potential for profoundly improving the care of chronic pain patients. New and emerging targets like the dorsal root ganglion, as well as high-frequency and patterned stimulation methodologies such as burst stimulation, are paving the way for better clinical outcomes. As we look forward to the future, neural sensing, novel target-specific stimulation patterns, and approaches combining neuromodulation therapies are likely to significantly impact how neuromodulation is used. Moreover, select biomarkers may influence and guide the use of neuromodulation and help objectively demonstrate efficacy and outcomes.
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Observational Study Pragmatic Clinical Trial
Impact of Policy Interventions on Postoperative Opioid Prescribing.
To assess postoperative opioid prescribing in response to state and organizational policy changes. ⋯ Policies governing the use of opioids are an effective and adoptable approach to reducing opioid prescribing following surgery.
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Observational Study
Clinical Course and Impact of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Confined to the Knee.
Although complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) of the knee is comparable to CRPS of the ankle/foot at time of diagnosis, no reports are available concerning the course of knee CRPS. Therefore, this study investigated the clinical course in terms of the symptoms and signs, health-related quality of life (HR-QoL), and work status of patients diagnosed with CRPS of the knee. ⋯ CRPS of the knee changes in terms of symptoms over time, but significantly less than CRPS of other locations. A change in work status was reported in 82% of the patients due to their CRPS, and in 91%, the pain interfered with their daily life. CRPS of the knee is a painful condition with persistent symptoms causing a diminished HR-QoL.