Articles: pain-clinics.
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A consecutive series of 100 microneurosurgical revision operations on lumbar discs has been evaluated in a prospective and randomized clinical trial analyzing the influence of dexamethasone on postoperative clinical outcome. ⋯ After revision operations on lumbar discs, corticosteroids are a helpful adjuvant drug for relief of lumbar or radicular pain, but they do not significantly improve the final clinical outcome.
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Adjuvant analgesics are drugs that are not primarily used as analgesics but can produce analgesia in certain types of pain. Adjuvant analgesics can be administered together with non-opioid and opioid analgesics on each step of the WHO analgesic ladder. They should be given when an additional or specific indication exists, but should not be used as a substitute for a thorough treatment with opioids and nonopioids. ⋯ Biphosphonates (etidronate, clodronate, pamidronate derivates) also produce analgesic effects in patients with bone metastases. However, differences among the various compounds have not been clearly evaluated yet. Potent and specific radioisotopes are still under development and the use of calcitonin in bone pain is considered controversial.
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Outcome studies of lumbar disc surgery document a success rate ranging between 49% and 90%, according to the evaluation criteria used. The aim of the present study was to investigate the prognostic value of pain history and of sociodemographic, psychodiagnostic and medical factors for the long-term outcome after lumbar disc surgery. ⋯ Anamnestic information on the pain history and psychological factors have prognostic value for the outcome after lumbar disc surgery. If there is no absolute medical indication for disc surgery, we suggest reconsidering the treatment planned for patients with the risk factors specified.
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Effective treatment of patients with trigeminal neuralgia is often a long and complicated procedure. The symptoms of trigeminal neuralgia are clearly defined in most cases. Sudden and brief episodes of severe and stabbing pain (tic douloureux) occur, with pain usually starting from a trigger point. Recent reports suggest 80-90% suppression of pain with various treatment regimens, which seems to indicate that the diagnosis and successful treatment of the disorder are no longer a major problem. In fact, however, the intense suffering of patients and isolated reports in the literature suggest that there are still considerable diagnostic difficulties. Patients are referred from one specialist to another, in most cases without the necessary interdisciplinary cooperation, and countless interventions and attempts at therapy not only remain unsuccessful, but may cause serious adverse effects. ⋯ Apparently there is a considerable need for more information about the clinical symptoms, cause, diagnosis and therapy of trigeminal neuralgia, especially as the symptoms are often no longer typical because they have become chronic or are the result of previous treatment. This is needed by all specialists involved, including dentists and general practitioners. In patients in whom clinical criteria suggest the diagnosis of trigeminal neuralgia, drug treatment should be initiated immediately in consultation with the neurologist or neurosurgeon. For cases in which drug treatment fails or resistance to the drug develops surgical treatments are available, such as non-destructive microvascular decompression or thermocoagulation of the gasserian ganglion.