Pain physician
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Anterior cutaneous nerve entrapment syndrome (ACNES) is a commonly overlooked source of chronic abdominal wall pain. A diagnosis of ACNES should be considered in cases of severe, localized abdominal pain that is accentuated by physical activity. Providers should consider diagnosing ACNES once a patient has both a positive result from a Carnett's test and precise localization of pain. ⋯ Chronic pain can lead to significant emotional and social impacts on these pediatric patients, as well as their on their families. Further, the extensive utilization of health care resources is impacted when children with undiagnosed ACNES undergo invasive treatments when ACNES is not in the early differential. The purpose of this case series report is to prompt better recognition of the condition ACNES, and to highlight the efficacy of TAP blocks as a management strategy.
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The awareness is growing that central sensitization is of prime importance for the assessment and management of chronic pain, but its classification is challenging clinically since no gold standard method of assessment exists. ⋯ Clinicians can use the proposed classification algorithm for differentiating neuropathic, nociceptive, and central sensitization pain.
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Case Reports
Transverse abdominal plane neurostimulation for chronic abdominal pain: a novel technique.
Management of chronic abdominal pain can be challenging. Sometimes patients fail to get adequate response from multiple medications and nerve blocks. We present a patient case report of chronic abdominal pain with a history of multiple surgeries managed successfully by neuromodulation of the transverse abdominis plane (TAP). ⋯ We placed a dorsal column stimulator 16 contact lead for lower back and leg pain and 8 contact leads placed in the TAP under ultrasound guidance. She has had multiple follow-ups since her TAP lead placement procedure with continued and near complete resolution of her abdominal pain. The TAP lead stimulation was helping her abdominal pain and the dorsal column lead stimulation was helping her back and leg pain.
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The sacroiliac joint (SIJ) is a major source of pain in patients with chronic low back pain. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of the lateral branches of the dorsal sacral rami that supply the joint is a treatment option gaining considerable attention. However, the position of the lateral branches (commonly targeted with RFA) is variable and the segmental innervation to the SIJ is not well understood. ⋯ Widespread variability of lateral branch exit points from the dorsal sacral foramen and possible contributions from L5 dorsal rami and superior gluteal nerve were disclosed by the current study. Hence, SIJ RFA treatment approaches need to incorporate techniques which address the diverse SIJ innervation.
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The association between epidural fibrosis and recurrent symptoms after lumbar spine surgery remains a matter of debate in scientific literature and the underlying pathophysiological mechanism has not been clearly elucidated. ⋯ Rather than direct stimulation of nociceptors in the epidural scar tissue, other factors should relate epidural fibrosis and recurrent symptoms after lumbar spine surgery. Osteopontin seems to play a role in the formation of epidural fibrosis.