Pain physician
-
Review
Ketamine: An Update on Cellular and Subcellular Mechanisms with Implications for Clinical Practice.
Ketamine is one of the oldest hypnotic agents used to provide an anesthetic agent with analgesic properties and minimal suppressive effects on respiration. The ability of ketamine in modulating glutamatergic (N-methyl D-aspartate) pain receptors has made this anesthetic drug a new option for the management of patients with chronic pain syndromes. Further preclinical and clinical findings suggest ketamine may have wide ranging effects on both cognition and development. Recent advances have revealed an unprecedented role for ketamine in the acute management of depression. ⋯ Ketamine, an old anesthetic agent with analgesic properties, is currently being considered for treating patients with chronic pain and depression. The complex pharmacological characteristics of ketamine make this medication a multifaceted therapeutic option in these cases. Key Words: Ketamine, anesthetics, pain, depression, pharmacology.
-
Chronic pain and prescription opioid abuse are extremely prevalent both in this country and worldwide. Consequences of opioid misuse can be life-threatening with significant morbidity and mortality, exacting a heavy toll on patients, physicians, and society. Individuals with chronic pain and co-occurring substance use disorders and/or mental health disorders, are at a higher risk for misuse of prescribed opioids. ⋯ This manuscript builds on the 2012 opioid guidelines published in Pain Physician and the 2016 guidelines released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It reviews the current state of knowledge regarding the growing problem of opioid abuse and misuse; known risk factors; and methods of predicting, assessing, monitoring, and addressing opioid abuse and misuse in patients with chronic non-cancer pain. Key words: Opioids, misuse, abuse, chronic pain, prevalence, risk assessment, risk management, drug monitoring, aberrant drug-related behavior.
-
Patients with pain conditions place significant demands on health care services globally. Health economists have reported the annual economic cost of pain in the United States as high as $635 billion. A common challenge in treating patients suffering from chronic pain conditions is accurate diagnosis and treatment. ⋯ The demographic differences and similarities within the subgroups highlighted the concept that pain diagnoses should be considered as separate, but related entities. The present study helps us to better understand the frequency of specific pain diagnoses, and directs future studies to appropriately focus on pain diagnoses based on prevalence. This will allow increased understanding of the variation in pain diagnoses and prevent over-generalization in studies examining pain patients to more accurately reflect the varied subtypes and their economic impact.Duke University Institutional Review Board Protocol: 00053624Key words: Pain diagnoses, CRPS, neuritis, radiculitis, limb pain, degenerative spine disease, back pain, chronic pain, post-laminectomy pain, prevalence, MarketScan.
-
Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) technique is becoming the standard tissue sparing approach for decompression of lumbar central and lateral recess stenosis, intervertebral disc herniation, or any situation that would have required extensive open decompression laminectomy. Full-endoscopic or arthroscopic assisted surgery is arguably the "ultra-MIS" approach to lumbar spinal pathology. Age and body mass index (BMI) are significant risk factors to be considered in full-endoscopic assisted ultra-MIS. With limited medical literature published on complication rates for MIS, reports on the ultra-MIS approach are even scarcer for free-standing, outpatient ambulatory settings. ⋯ Full-endoscopic assisted ultra-MIS technique is a viable option for lumbar decompressive surgery in a free-standing, outpatient ambulatory facility. The patient population in this study demonstrates its safety, efficacy, and effectiveness for treatment of various lumbar pathologies. It is particularly relevant that age and obesity are not contra-indications.Key words: Full-endoscopic, minimally invasive spine surgery, postoperative complications, lumbar discectomy, lumbar decompression, lumbar disc herniation, spinal stenosis, endoscopic discectomy, ultra-MIS, arthroscopic.
-
Although percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) could achieve rapid pain relief for the elderly with osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF), some patients still had risks of suffering vertebrae delayed union which led to persisting pain and vertebral collapse. Preventing the delayed vertebral union could reduce the further morbidities and medical costs for patients with OVCF after PKP. ⋯ Preoperative BMD, intravertebral cleft, and restoration rate of vertebral height could be factors independently associated with delayed union of vertebrae after PKP in patients with OVCF.Key words: Percutaneous kyphoplasty, delayed union, osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture.