Articles: operative.
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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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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Pulsed radiofrequency or anterior neurectomy for anterior cutaneous nerve entrapment syndrome (ACNES) (the PULSE trial): study protocol of a randomized controlled trial.
Some patients with chronic abdominal pain suffer from an anterior cutaneous nerve entrapment syndrome (ACNES). This somewhat illusive syndrome is thought to be caused by the entrapment of end branches of the intercostal nerves residing in the abdominal wall. If ACNES is suspected, a local injection of an anesthetic agent may offer relief. If pain is recurrent following multiple-injection therapy, an anterior neurectomy entailing removal of the entrapped nerve endings may be considered. After 1 year, a 70% success rate has been reported. Research on minimally invasive alternative treatments is scarce. Pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) treatment is a relatively new treatment for chronic pain syndromes. An electromagnetic field is applied around the nerve in the hope of leading to pain relief. This randomized controlled trial compares the effect of PRF treatment and neurectomy in patients with ACNES. ⋯ Since academic literature on minimally invasive techniques is lacking, well-designed trials are needed to optimize results of treatment for ACNES. This is the first large, randomized controlled, proof-of-concept trial comparing two therapy techniques in ACNES patients. The first patient was included in October 2015. The expected trial deadline is December 2017. If effective, PRF may be incorporated into the ACNES treatment algorithm, thus minimizing the number of patients requiring surgery.