Pain practice : the official journal of World Institute of Pain
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Multicenter Study
Safety and Efficacy of a Pharmacist-Managed Patient-Controlled Analgesia Service in Postsurgical Patients.
To compare the safety and efficacy of a pharmacist-managed patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) service with physician/midlevel provider-managed (standard) PCA services in postsurgical patients. ⋯ A pharmacist-managed PCA service provided no difference in pain control compared to standard management. The requirement for breakthrough analgesia was decreased in the pharmacist group, while the need for antiemetic use was increased. Further research should be conducted to evaluate different PCA management strategies.
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Review
Postoperative Pain Control Following Craniotomy: A Systematic Review of Recent Clinical Literature.
Pain intensity after craniotomy is considered to be moderate to severe during the first 2 postoperative days. The ideal pain treatment to facilitate a rapid postoperative recovery and optimize outcome is unknown. ⋯ No definite recommendations can be made based on this systematic review of pharamacological interventions following craniotomy due to significant divergence in the methodology of available studies. Limited evidence on scalp infiltration/block suggests an adequate analgesic effect in the early postoperative period. Analgesic efficacy of dexmedetomidine and multipoint electro-acupuncture needs further evaluation.
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Multicenter Study
Chronic Pain Features Relate to Quality of Life More than Physiopathology: A Cross-Sectional Evaluation in Pain Clinics.
To compare the impact of chronic pain physiopathology on health-related quality of life (HR-QoL), considering the influence of pain features and psychosocial adjustment (intensity, interference, psychological comorbidities, and sleep quality). ⋯ Pain features, particularly intensity, have a greater impact than pain physiopathology on HR-QoL. Distinct physiopathological mechanisms give rise to different pain features that, in turn, may mediate the HR-QoL of patients with chronic pain. This could be used to improve pain management strategies.
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Observational Study
Validation of the Greek Version of the Fibromyalgia Rapid Screening Tool.
The Fibromyalgia Rapid Screening Tool (FiRST) is a brief, simple, and straightforward self-administered questionnaire that was developed by Perrot et al. for the detection of fibromyalgia syndrome in patients with diffuse chronic pain. The aim of our study was to develop and validate the Greek version of FiRST. ⋯ The Greek version of FiRST is a valid screening tool for fibromyalgia in daily practice.
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While neurostimulation-stimulation of the nervous system using electrical current-has been used to treat chronic pain, its use treating postsurgical pain has been limited. Here, we report on the clinical application of a novel investigational lead to provide analgesia following total knee arthroplasty. ⋯ During passive and active knee flexion, pain decreased an average of 14% and 50%, with 0/3 and 1/2 subjects attaining > 50% relief, respectively. Ultrasound-guided percutaneous peripheral nerve stimulation may be a practical modality for the treatment of postsurgical pain.