Pain medicine : the official journal of the American Academy of Pain Medicine
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Case Reports
The insiders' experiences with continuous transversus abdominis plane blocks for analgesia after cesarean delivery.
Transversus abdominis plane blocks have been recently utilized for analgesia after cesarean delivery. However, little data concerning continuous transversus abdominis plane blocks has been reported in the existing literature. Available studies mainly examine the efficacy of single-injection blocks, and only one small case series has been published regarding continuous blocks for analgesia after cesarean delivery. First-hand experiences and observations of three acute pain medicine specialists who received a continuous transversus abdominis plane block for analgesia after cesarean delivery are presented. ⋯ The patients experienced postoperative continuous transversus abdominis plane blocks that seem to be of value in limiting opiate use and improving analgesia with daily activities in the acute postoperative phase after cesarean delivery.
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Practice Guideline
Complex regional pain syndrome: practical diagnostic and treatment guidelines, 4th edition.
This is the fourth edition of diagnostic and treatment guidelines for complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS; aka reflex sympathetic dystrophy). ⋯ In the humanitarian spirit of making the most of all current thinking in the area, balanced by a careful case-by-case analysis of the risk/cost vs benefit analysis, the authors offer these "practical" guidelines.
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Clinical Trial
Assessment of pressure-pain thresholds and central sensitization of pain in lateral epicondylalgia.
OBJECTIVE.: To assess pain sensitivity and spreading hyperalgesia in lateral epicondylalgia (LE). SUBJECTS.: Twenty-two women with LE, and 38 controls were included. OUTCOME MEASURES.: Computerized cuff pressure algometry was used for assessment of pressure-pain threshold and tolerance. ⋯ In LE patients without signs of peripheral inflammation assessed by Doppler ultrasound, temporal summation was significantly stronger than in patients with ongoing inflammation (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION.: Patients with LE may be subgrouped based on pain hypersensitivity and Doppler ultrasound into clinically meaningful subgroups with varying duration of symptoms and different degrees of central sensitization. These groups may require different pain management strategies.
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The mechanism of complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) was reported as being related to both the central and peripheral nervous systems. Recurrence of CRPS was, reportedly, induced by hand surgery in a patient with upper limb CRPS. However, there is no documentation of mechanical allodynia and burning abdominal pain induced by Cesarean section under spinal anesthesia in patients with upper limb CRPS. ⋯ Our report shows that attention should be paid to the appearance of neuropathic pain of the abdomen during Cesarean section under spinal anesthesia in patients with a history of CRPS.
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The objective of the study was to see if transforaminal injection of steroids might be an effective treatment for persistent radicular pain after disc surgery. ⋯ Transforaminal injection of steroid appears to be effective in only a minority of patients with radicular pain persisting after disc surgery, but is more often effective in patients without recurrent disc herniation.