Articles: chronic-pain.
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Oxycodone is a strong opioid and it is increasingly used in the management of acute and chronic pain. The pharmacodynamic effects of oxycodone are mainly mediated by the μ-opioid receptor. However, its affinity for the μ-opioid receptor is significantly lower compared with that of morphine and it has been suggested that active metabolites may play a role in oxycodone analgesia. ⋯ No statistically significant associations of the CYP2D6 or CYP3A4/5 genotype of the patients and the pharmacokinetics of oxycodone or its metabolites, extent of paroxetine-oxycodone interaction, or analgesic effects were observed probably due to the limited number of patients studied. The results of this study strongly suggest that CYP2D6 inhibition does not significantly change oxycodone analgesia in chronic pain patients and that the analgesic activity of oxycodone is mainly due to the parent compound and that metabolites, e.g. oxymorphone, play an insignificant role. The clinical implication of these results is that induction of the metabolism of oxycodone may lead to inadequate analgesia while increased drug effects can be expected after addition of potent CYP3A4/5 inhibitors particularly if combined with CYP2D6 inhibitors or when administered to poor metabolizers of CYP2D6.
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Objective. Motor cortex stimulation (MCS) is increasingly being utilized for the treatment of intractable pain. While the risks of MCS are relatively low, focal or generalized seizures may be produced during programming of MCS systems. Occasionally, patients may experience seizures hours after programming. ⋯ Conclusions. Despite the overall safety of MCS for the treatment of chronic pain, seizures during and after programming are a serious risk that should be anticipated. In this group of patients, seizures were associated only with stimulus rates between 70 and 90 Hz. No patient developed chronic epilepsy from the stimulation.
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Background and aims Chronic pain patients often present with a host of psychological and somatic problems and are unable to work despite receiving traditional pain management. For example, it is common that patients with persistent pain also suffer from a variety of anxiety and depressive symptoms. Indeed, the regulation of emotions may be one important factor that is associated with the development of persistent pain. ⋯ At the three-month follow-up improvements were maintained Conclusions This case shows that dialectical behavior therapy may be feasible for people suffering persistent pain with multiple problems such as pain, depression, and emotion regulation. However, since this is a case study, the validity of the findings has not yet been established. The positive results, however, warrant the further investigation of the application of these techniques to complex chronic pain cases.
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Introduction. Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is an accepted cost-effective therapy for many chronic pain syndromes. Its effects on pregnancy have not been studied because of stringent regulation and manufacturers' recommendations. However, childbearing women who had SCS become or choose to become pregnant despite these policies. ⋯ Therefore our case highlights the need to implant the IPG in a way that avoids stretching the lead extender by the expanding abdomen. Conclusion. SCS seems to be safe in the first two trimesters of pregnancy based on these two case reports and the abdominal wall should be avoided as a site for IPG implantation in these patients. However, more cases are required to establish the safety of SCS in pregnancy.
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Introduction. Peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) has been used for many years to treat neuropathic pain syndromes. Technical advances in neurostimulation hardware have led to a renewed interest in the use of PNS for control of intractable pain caused by peripheral mononeuropathies. One such application includes intractable groin pain. ⋯ Discussion. The successful use of ultrasound as described in these two cases suggests an important role for ultrasound in localization of targeted nerves in percutaneous trial stimulation of injured peripheral nerve. The use of ultrasound may also play a role in permanent lead placement as well. Conclusion. More studies are needed to further qualify the role of ultrasound in isolating peripheral nerves, but the success of trial stimulation in these two cases holds promise for continued advancements in the field of neuromodulation.