Current pain and headache reports
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Curr Pain Headache Rep · Jul 2019
ReviewSystematic Review of Radiofrequency Ablation for Management of Knee Pain.
Chronic pain of the lower extremity remains challenging to manage. Radiofrequency ablation procedure applies heat to nerve fibers with the goal of mitigating chronic pain conditions of the knee. However, the clinical efficacy has not yet been adequately established. The goal of this review paper is to report the use of radiofrequency ablations in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee. ⋯ PubMed and the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register were searched (final search 28 February 2018) using the MeSH terms "radiofrequency ablation," "neurolysis," "radiofrequency therapy," "pain syndrome," "analgesia," and "pain" in the English literature. Bibliographies of the published papers were screened for relevance to lower extremity radiofrequency ablation therapies. The quality of selected publications was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias instrument. Of the 923 papers screened, 317 were further investigated for relevance. Our final search methodology yielded 19 studies that investigated the use of radiofrequency ablation at the knee. Of these 19 studies, there were four randomized control trials, two non-randomized control trials, three prospective studies, two retrospective studies, one case-control study, one technical report, and seven case reports. In summary, the data available suggests radiofrequency ablation as a promising and efficacious with all 19 studies revealing significant short- and long-term pain reductions in patients with knee pain.
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Curr Pain Headache Rep · Jul 2019
ReviewPlatelet-Rich Plasma for the Treatment of Low Back Pain: a Comprehensive Review.
Back pain is a growing problem worldwide, incurring enormous economic costs and disability. Current treatment modalities often provide adequate relief but fail to address underlying conditions. Regenerative cellular modalities aim to restore anatomical function in degenerative conditions which may cause low back pain. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) consists of an increased concentration of autologous platelets suspended in a small amount of plasma. PRP can be administered via injection or topically and is prepared using various techniques. ⋯ While a unifying mechanism of action is not well understood, biochemical and cellular changes involved in inflammation and mechanical structure have been detected in both in vitro and in vivo studies. At a higher level, PRP injection research utilizing animal models and patient data have provided insights into pain relief, chondroprotection, and factors that impact the therapy's efficacy. Recently, a small number of studies have promoted PRP injection as a relatively safe means of treating patients with degenerative disc disease who have failed other means of managing their lower back pain. PRP injections for sacroiliac joint-related pain are not an accepted or common treatment modality; the evidence for their efficacy remains to be seen outside of small RCTs and case reports. A small number of prospective trials have suggested there may be some benefit to using PRP injection in the treatment of pain or functional decline caused by facet joint arthropathy. These commonly used modalities require further study to improve quality of evidence and to investigate the safety and efficacy of PRP injections for various common causes of chronic low back.
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Curr Pain Headache Rep · Jul 2019
ReviewChallenges of Robotic Gynecologic Surgery in Morbidly Obese Patients and How to Optimize Success.
Robotic surgery has been shown to have a significant benefit in obese gynecologic patients over open surgery. However, robotic surgery in these patients requires a thorough understanding of the physiologic adaptations caused by obesity, adequate preoperative optimization, specialized equipment and techniques, and careful attention to intra- and postoperative management in order to minimize complications. This article reviews the benefits of a minimally invasive approach in obese patients and provides a thorough guide to perioperative management of obese patients undergoing robotic gynecologic surgery. A useful set of tips and tricks to overcome many of the technical challenges in performing robotic surgery in the obese patients is included. ⋯ In the USA, obesity has risen to affect 39.8% of the population, which leads to increased incidence of mortality, hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Moreover, obese patients are at greater risk of perioperative complications during gynecologic surgery. With the use of laparoscopy, many of the perioperative risks of surgery in obese patients can be ameliorated. However, minimally invasive surgery in obese patients is technically challenging. Robotic-assisted laparoscopy addresses several of these challenges, allowing surgeons to offer minimally invasive approaches to patients with extreme BMIs while reducing perioperative risk. Obese patients undergoing gynecologic surgery receive a greater benefit than their non-obese counterparts from a laparoscopic approach, and current data support the safety and feasibility of robotic surgery in the obese population. Therefore, every effort to offer a minimally invasive surgery to obese patients should be made.