Articles: chronic.
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Case Reports
Refining the ultrasound-guided interscalene brachial plexus block: the superior trunk approach.
The conventional ultrasound-guided interscalene block targets the C5 and C6 nerve roots at approximately the level of the cricoid cartilage where they lie in the groove between the anterior and middle scalene muscles. This technique, although effective at providing regional anesthesia of the shoulder, is associated with risks of phrenic nerve palsy, injury to the dorsal scapular and long thoracic nerves, and long-term postoperative neurologic symptoms. In this case report, we describe the ultrasound-guided superior trunk block. This procedure targets the C5 and C6 components of the brachial plexus more distally after they unite into the superior trunk but before the suprascapular nerve branches off. ⋯ The enhanced anatomical knowledge provided by ultrasound-guidance has allowed anesthesiologists to devise new block techniques and refine existing ones. The superior trunk block is an example of this refinement and is intended as an alternative to the conventional interscalene block for anesthesia of the shoulder. Further research is planned to confirm the efficacy and safety of the technique.
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A survey on teaching ultrasound-guided chronic pain procedures in pain medicine fellowship programs.
Over the last decade ultrasound guidance (USG) has been utilized very successfully in acute pain procedures to confirm nerves' anatomic location and obtain live images. Not only the utilization, but the teaching, of USG has become an essential part of anesthesiology residency training. Prior to the introduction of USG, chronic pain procedures were always done either under fluoroscopy or blindly. USG offers advantages over fluoroscopy for completion of chronic pain procedures. USG decreases radiation exposure and the expenses associated with operating a fluoroscopy machine and allows live visualization of soft tissues and blood flow, a feature that fluoroscopy does not directly offer. Even today, the utilization and teaching of the technique for chronic pain procedures has not been as widely accepted as in acute pain management. ⋯ The teaching of ultrasound guided chronic pain procedures varies significantly between individual programs. Though many program directors do require that fellows demonstrate competency in the technique before graduation, as of today there is no ACGME guideline regarding this. The advancement in ultrasound technology and the increase in number of trained faculty may significantly impact the use of USG in training fellows to perform chronic pain procedures.
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Multicenter Study
The First Postoperative Day: Prospective Evaluation of Pain in Adult Otorhinolaryngologic Surgery.
The aim of the study was to assess postoperative pain within the first 24 hours after otorhinolaryngologic surgery and to identify factors influencing postoperative pain. ⋯ Analgesia and perioperative pain management in otorhinolaryngologic surgery seems to be highly variable. After otorhinolaryngologic surgery many patients seem to receive less analgesia than needed or ineffective analgesic drug regimes.
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Critical care medicine · Nov 2014
Multicenter StudyLow-Dose Corticosteroid Treatment in Septic Shock: A Propensity-Matching Study.
Given conflicting data and current guidelines, low-dose corticosteroids are often used in the treatment of septic shock. To evaluate the therapeutic benefit of early low-dose corticosteroid in patients with septic shock. ⋯ Early administration of low-dose corticosteroid is not associated with decreased mortality when it is administered to unselected patients with septic shock. A beneficial effect of low-dose corticosteroid on mortality may exist in patients with the highest severity of illness. Future trials of low-dose corticosteroid in septic shock should consider restricting the study population to this cohort.