Pain Physician

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

BACKGROUND: Hemifacial spasm (HFS) is distinguished by sudden and involuntary spasms of the facial muscles, predominantly on one side of the face. Microvascular decompression (MVD) is an efficacious surgical technique for treating HFS; however, MVD may occasionally lead to noteworthy postoperative complications. Previously, we reported the successful utilization of an innovative awake computed tomography-guided percutaneous puncture of the stylomastoid foramen for administering radiofrequency ablation (RFA) therapy in the treatment of HFS...

BACKGROUND: Primary trigeminal neuralgia (PTN) is a type of chronic neuropathic pain disorder caused by neurovascular compression. Percutaneous balloon compression (PBC) is a widely used method for the treatment of PTN. OBJECTIVES: To examine the correlation of balloon pressure (BP) during percutaneous microballoon compression (PBC) with postoperative pain relief and complications in the treatment of primary trigeminal neuralgia (PTN). STUDY DESIGN: Forty-five patients diagnosed with PTN and treated with PBC were recruited...

BACKGROUND: Vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) can affect the entire spinopelvic complex and cause unpredictable patterns of back pain due to their effects on spinal tensegrity and biomechanical compensation. They can lead to significant morbidity and mortality in the aging population and are difficult to diagnose. We aimed to establish a relationship between VCFs and sacroiliac (SI) joint pain. OBJECTIVES: Demonstration of SI joint (SIJ) pain relief at up to 6 months after kyphoplasty (KP) in patients with VCFs and diagnosed SI dysfunction...

BACKGROUND: Kummell's disease (KD) and osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF) are commonly found in patients with osteoporosis. Several studies have been conducted on bone cement distribution in OVCF or KD; a comparison between the 2 diseases is rarely reported. OBJECTIVES: To compare the clinical efficacy and bone cement distribution difference between KD and OVCFs after percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP). STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective, nonrandomized controlled study...

BACKGROUND: Sacroiliac joint (SIJ) injections are crucial in the diagnostic toolkit for evaluating SIJ pathology. Recall bias is an important component in patient-reported outcomes that has not been well studied in SIJ injection. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to characterize the accuracy, direction, and magnitude of pain level recall bias following SIJ steroid injection and study the factors that affect patient recollection. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort study...

BACKGROUND: Cervical transforaminal epidural steroid injections have become less popular due to the risk of catastrophic complications they pose. However, cervical nerve root blocks are useful for surgical planning in patients with cervical radicular pain syndromes. OBJECTIVES: Our aim was to find a method of performing cervical selective nerve root blocks that removed the risk of catastrophic complications. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case review...

BACKGROUND: The central nervous system contains steroid receptors, particularly in the hypothalamic and limbic systems. These systems are responsible for driving certain emotions in humans, especially stress, anxiety, motivation, energy levels, and mood. Thus, corticosteroids may precipitate patients to experience these emotions. Most existing studies report neuropsychiatric side effects after oral or intravenous corticosteroids rather than epidural. OBJECTIVES: This study examines the neuropsychiatric side effects after epidural steroid injections (ESIs), with a focus on whether certain factors in patients' histories further exacerbate symptomatology...

BACKGROUND: Applying pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) to the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) is an electrical neuromodulation technique, a valid complementary therapeutic treatment for failed back surgery syndrome (FBBS). Peridurolysis, when applied to vertebral canal adhesions, can be performed with dedicated catheters, providing patients with the benefits of mechanical, electrical, and pharmacological techniques. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate PRF's effects on the DRG as part of FBSS treatment at different follow-up times, comparing 2 groups of patients exposed to distinct levels of voltage (100 V vs...

BACKGROUND: Nonsurgical refractory back pain (NSRBP) is broadly defined as chronic refractory back pain in patients who have not had previous spine surgery and, because they are deemed inappropriate candidates for surgery, are reliant on conventional medical management (CMM), which often provides poor long-term outcomes. High-frequency spinal cord stimulation (10kHz SCS) has demonstrated high rates of pain relief and improvements in functioning in patients with NSRBP. However, despite the use of temporary trial stimulation to select patients who will respond to therapy, some patients fail to achieve long-term therapy response with permanent implants...

BACKGROUND: Osteoarthritis of the knee (KOA) is the main cause of disability in elderly people. Patients with KOA may often not achieve adequate pain control even after receiving all treatment modalities. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to examine the efficacy of ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) as a treatment for moderate and severe KOA. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective randomized controlled study. SETTING: The study was performed in the National Pain Management and Research Center of China-Japan Friendship Hospital...

BACKGROUND: Reducing postoperative pain is still a tremendous challenge for perioperative clinicians. Lidocaine is a local anesthetic that belongs to the amide class and has anti-inflammatory, anti-hyperalgesic, and analgesic effects. Extensive research has been conducted to determine the optimal route for its administration. OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of perioperative intravenous lidocaine with that of intraperitoneal lidocaine on postoperative analgesia in patients undergoing abdominal surgery...

BACKGROUND: Lumbar disc herniation is a common spinal disease that causes low back pain; surgery is required when conservative treatment is ineffective. There is a growing demand for minimally invasive surgery in younger patient populations due to their fear of significant damage and a long recovery period following standard open discectomy. The development history of minimally invasive surgery is relatively short, and no gold standard has been established. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to find, via a network meta-analysis, the best treatment for low back pain in younger patient populations...

BACKGROUND: Unilateral percutaneous endoscopic debridement and drainage (UPEDD) and bilateral PEDD (BPEDD) are commonly implemented, and have consistently yielded favorable clinical outcomes. Nevertheless, there is a scarcity of literature contrasting the advantages and disadvantages between these 2 procedures. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this research was to conduct a meta-analysis to compare the clinical effects of UPEDD and BPEDD. STUDY DESIGN: A systematic review and meta-analysis...

BACKGROUND: Glossopharyngeal neuralgia (GPN) is a rare cause of facial pain that has an incidence of less than one per 100,000 people. The excruciating stabbing pain experienced by patients with GPN can be debilitating, leading to difficulties in activities of daily living, such as eating and speaking. As a result, there has been a recent increase in research on the effectiveness of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for treating GPN. OBJECTIVE: The objective of our study was to evaluate the effectiveness of (RFA for treating GPN while examining its impact on patients' quality of life and assesses for any associated side effects...

BACKGROUND: Infrapatellar neuropathy arises from traumatic, iatrogenic, or compression injury to the infrapatellar branch (IB) of the saphenous nerve. The risk of infrapatellar neuropathy has been shown to depend on the IB's anatomical course. The infrapatellar branch of the saphenous nerve (ISBN) has been discovered to take varying courses, and the IB can emerge directly from the femoral nerve. The variety of the IBSN's courses and the prevalence of cases involving the infrapatellar branch of the femoral nerve (IBFN) call the uniform IB course described in textbooks into question...

BACKGROUND: Spinal cord stimulator (SCS) surgeries, whether performed using the open or percutaneous approach, are becoming increasingly common for a range of neuropathic pain conditions, including post-laminectomy syndrome and complex regional pain syndrome. However, there is limited knowledge regarding the factors linked to same-day discharge patterns following SCS. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with same-day discharge after SCS placement...