pain-relief-17.matches: pain relief
Thoracoscopic thoracic splanchnicectomy for chronic pancreatitis with intractable abdominal pain.

Kusano T, Miyazato H, Shiraishi M, Yamada M, Matsumoto M, Muto Y.

Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan.

The therapeutic advantages of a thoracoscopic thoracic splanchnicectomy (TTS) to relieve the pain of chronic pancreatitis patients was evaluated. The TTS procedure (four bilateral and five unilateral TTS), was performed on nine patients from April 1993 to October 1995. Based on radiographic images, the pancreatic duct of seven cases were diagnosed as being "nondilated" (<3 mm), whereas two cases were "dilated" (> or = 3 mm). A 5-mm thoracoscope was introduced through the fifth intercostal space on the anterior axillary line, and an additional two cannulas were introduced under direct thoracoscopic vision. The sympathetic chain, at a level from Th 5 to 9, was then resected and electrocoagulated. We performed a unilateral TTS corresponding to the symptomatic side; however, if pain relief was insufficient, an additional sympathectomy was done on the other side. The early postoperative course was uneventful, and immediate pain-relief was normally possible after TTS except for three patients who demonstrated minor intercostal neuralgia at the site of the trocars inserted for TTS. Six of nine patients were able to return to their preoperative work of lifestyle at a maximum follow-up of 24 months (the median and mean durations were 15.0 and 13.7 months, respectively). In addition, no postoperative deterioration of either the endocrine or exocrine function of the pancreas was observed. In conclusion, TTS proved to be a safe and reliable procedure for the pain relief of the chronic pancreatitis.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=9194281&dopt=Abstract pain, pain medicine, pain relief



pain-relief-10.matches: pain relief
Palliative care education and training during residency: a survey among residents at a tertiary care hospital.

Mohanti BK, Bansal M, Gairola M, Sharma D.

Department of Radiation Oncology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi 110029, India. drbkmohanti rediffmail.com

BACKGROUND: Palliative care is the active total care of patients in advanced and incurable stages of cancer. More than 70% of all cancer patients in India require palliative care for relief of pain, other symptoms and psychosocial distress. The need for education and training in palliative care has been emphasized by the World Health Organization (WHO) during the past 15 years. This survey aimed to assess the awareness, clinical knowledge, and education and training aspects of palliative care among the clinical residents of a tertiary care hospital. METHODS: During January and February 1999, a total of 100 residents were asked to respond to a questionnaire on palliative care education and training during residency. The questionnaire consisted of 10 questions (each question with 3 different responses). Awareness regarding palliative care was assessed by 3 questions; clinical knowledge by 4 questions; and education and training obtained during residency by 3 questions. Comparisons were made using the Chi-square test between the oncology and non-oncology resident groups. RESULTS: Forty-nine residents (23 oncology and 26 non-oncology) responded to the survey. Awareness that palliative care involves active total care was lacking in 8 (16%) residents. The cost of palliative care in India was considered high by 17 (65%) non-oncology residents and 21 (43%) of the whole group. Hospice, as the right place for palliative care, was chosen by 14 (61%) oncology and 3 (11.5%) non-oncology residents (p = 0.0003). In the whole group, 21 (43%) believed that palliative care could be provided on an outpatient basis. Pain, depression and cachexia were identified as the most distressing symptoms of patients with incurable cancer. Seventeen (83%) oncology and 4 (15%) non-oncology residents (p = 0.000) knew how to use the WHO step-ladder for cancer pain relief. All oncology residents and 10 (38%) non-oncology residents preferred the oral route for providing medications for pain relief (p = 0.0001). The didactic education and training imparted during residency was considered as 'not enough' by 39% of oncology and 62% of non-oncology residents (51% overall). The confidence to deliver quality palliative care was lacking in 43% and 58% of oncology and non-oncology residents, respectively. CONCLUSION: Clinicians in India need to be provided focused skills and training for them to be able deliver quality palliative care to the large number of patients with incurable cancer. The cost of palliative care and the optimum place to deliver it, the symptoms of advanced cancer, pain relief and symptom control methods and quality of life in end-stage cancer patients are some aspects that should be an integral part of clinical residency programmes.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11396312&dopt=Abstract pain, pain medicine, pain relief



pain-relief-17.matches: pain relief
Treatment of deafferentation pain by chronic stimulation of the motor cortex: report of a series of 20 cases.

Nguyen JP, Keravel Y, Feve A, Uchiyama T, Cesaro P, Le Guerinel C, Pollin B.

Departement des Neurosciences, CHU Henri Mondor, Creteil, France.

Twenty patients with deafferentation pain were treated by chronic stimulation of the motor cortex. The central fissure was localized using stereotactic MRI and the motor cortex was mapped using intra-operative somatosensory evoked potentials. Seven patients with trigeminal neuropathic pain experienced definite pain relief varying between 40 and 100%. Ten patients had central pain secondary to central nervous system lesions. A satisfactory long-lasting pain control (pain relief > 40%) was obtained in five of them (50% of cases). One patient with pain from peripheral nerve injury obtained more than 80% pain relief. Two patients had pain from spinal cord lesions. One did not respond but the other obtained an excellent long-term result. The location of the effective stimulation plots was in agreement with the somatotopic maps of the primary motor cortex. One patient developed a small extradural haematoma which resolved spontaneously. None of the patients developed seizure activity. This study confirms the potential value of motor cortex stimulation in the treatment of certain forms of intractable pain, especially in cases with trigeminal neuropathic pain.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=9233414&dopt=Abstract pain, pain medicine, pain relief



pain-relief-17.matches: pain relief
The use of surgical sympathectomy in the treatment of chronic renal pain.

Andrews BT, Jones NF, Browse NL.

Department of Surgery, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of renal sympathetic denervation in the treatment of chronic renal pain. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In a 10-year period, 21 patients suffering from chronic renal pain underwent 27 renal denervation operations, six of which were bilateral. The cause of pain was the loin pain haematuria syndrome in 18 patients. RESULTS: Four operations resulted in complete pain relief to date (median follow-up 53.5 months). Pain relief after the other 23 operations in 18 patients lasted a median of 6 months. Assuming that recurrent pain was due to neuronal regeneration, nine of the 18 patients with recurrent pain underwent a total of 10 re-explorations of the renal pedicle, stripping it of all nerve fibres and areolar tissue. Three of these re-explorations produced complete pain relief to date (median follow-up 40 months). The median pain-free interval of the other seven re-explorations in six patients was 19 months. CONCLUSION: Renal denervation cures severe intractable pain in about 25% of patients. Recurrence of pain could be prevented in more patients if there was a way of preventing re-innervation.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=9240172&dopt=Abstract pain, pain medicine, pain relief



pain-relief-17.matches: pain relief
Postoperative epidural infusion of morphine and bupivacaine is safe on surgical wards. Organisation of the treatment, effects and side-effects in 2000 consecutive patients.

Rygnestad T, Borchgrevink PC, Eide E.

Department of Anaesthesia, Regional and University Hospital, Troudheim, Norway.

BACKGROUND: There was an obvious need to improve the quality and safety of our postoperative pain treatment and to introduce an improved routine service on surgical wards. METHODS: It was decided to use postoperative epidural infusion of morphine 0.04 mg/ml and bupivacaine 2.5 mg/ml (0.25%) 4-8 ml/h as pain relief after major surgery. An education programme was run emphasising the benefits, side-effects and the importance of regular monitoring of pain intensity, vital functions (respiratory rate, blood pressure, heart rate), motor function of the legs and the need for additional drugs in order to detect side-effects as well as lack of adequate analgesic effect. A detailed observation sheet was used collecting information every 2 h throughout the epidural treatment period in order to secure monitoring and adjustment of the treatment. Close contact was maintained with the wards. RESULTS: We present a detailed analysis of our first 2000 postoperative patients, mainly after orthopaedic (46.1%), gastrointestinal (32.0%), urologic (8.7%) and vascular (8.5%) surgery. Duration of the treatment was less than 24 h in 41.4% and more than 48 h in 29.7%. Pain relief was adequate in most patients, best after vascular surgery in the lower extremities (mean VAS 0.15/10.0 (95% confidence interval 0.09-0.23)) and less after gastrointestinal (mean VAS 0.49/10 (0.43-0.54)) and thoracic surgery (mean VAS 0.59/10 (0.38-0.81)). The infusion was stopped due to respiratory depression in 3 patients (0.15%). Four (0.2%) had systolic blood pressure < 80 mmHg and had to be treated with vasopressors. A total of 56 (2.8%) patients were considered to be problem patients due to excessive sedation (0.4%), hypotension (0.7%), respiratory depression (1.6%) or lower extremity paralysis (0.05%). All patients had urinary catheter until 6 h after termination of the epidural treatment. One patient had the epidural catheter accidentally placed subarachnoidally and experienced severe respiratory depression. No permanent sequelae were recorded in the postoperative patients, but 2 traumatised patients developed epidural abscesses after 3 weeks of treatment, which resulted in lower extremity paralysis. Late response to the warning signs might have contributed to the irreversible paraplegia. CONCLUSION: Our experience with this postoperative epidural analgesia regime is favourable. It has been easy to administer and monitor. Pain relief was excellent, side-effects were few and picked up by the established routines followed by the ward staff except in the 2 trauma patients who developed epidural abscesses. The staff on the surgical wards were motivated for this kind of work. Education and strict surveillance routines are mandatory in order to secure prompt action when warning signs develops (e.g. lower limb paralysis).

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=9265930&dopt=Abstract pain, pain medicine, pain relief



pain-relief-17.matches: pain relief
No indications for percutaneous lumbar discectomy?

Bernd L, Schiltenwolf M, Mau H, Schindele S.

Stiflung Orthopadische Universitatsklinik Heidelberg, Germany.

A questionnaire was used to assess the outcome of automated percutaneous lumbar discectomy (APLD), to correlate patients' data and to identify criteria for pain relief and patient satisfaction. Two hundred and thirty eight patients were operated on by APLD between 1988 and 1990. The questionnaire returned by 182 patients (76.4%) was suitable for evaluation. The mean follow-up was 2.5 years. Overall, 60% reported pain relief and 52% were satisfied with APLD. Conventional operations were carried out subsequently on 45 patients (25%). Bivariate and multivariate analyses were done for preoperative (age, gender, neurological deficit, Lasegue's sign, sports activity), perioperative (weight of disc material removed, level of APLD) and post-operative (conventional nucleotomy, change in condition, pain relief, satisfaction, sports activity, return to work, compensation claims) parameters. The only significant parameters for improvement in condition and pain relief was age, where patients younger than 41 do better. Risk factors for reoperation were a positive Lasegue's sign and over 41 years of age. Patient satisfaction was significantly higher for patients without sensory deficit preoperatively.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=9266295&dopt=Abstract pain, pain medicine, pain relief



pain-relief-18.matches: pain relief
Heel spur: radiation therapy for refractory pain--results with three treatment concepts.

Seegenschmiedt MH, Keilholz L, Katalinic A, Stecken A, Sauer R.

Department of Radiation Therapy, University Erlangen-Nurnberg, Strahlenstherapeutische Universitatsklinik, Germany.

PURPOSE: To evaluate radiation therapy (RT) to treat refractory pain in plantar heel spur. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 1984 to 1994, 141 patients with refractory painful plantar heel spur (170 heels, because of bilateral disease) underwent RT. Quantitative criteria were used to evaluate heel pain and ankle function prior to RT, 6-12 weeks after RT, and at last follow-up (median, 4 years). Patients were divided into three treatment groups: group A (n = 72 heels [two courses, 1.0-Gy fractions, 12-Gy total RT dose]), group B1 (n = 50 heels [one course, 0.3-Gy fractions, 3-Gy total dose]), and group B2 (n = 48 heels [one course, 0.5-Gy fractions, 5-Gy total dose]). RESULTS: At last follow-up, complete pain relief was achieved in 48 (67%) of 72 group A heels and in 71 (72%) of 98 group B heels. Statistically significant (P < .05) differences between groups were found for insufficient pain relief (< 80%) in patients in whom the response time after RT was longer than 4 weeks or in whom pain recurred during follow-up. The best results were achieved with the 5-Gy total RT dose (P < .05). Prognostic factors for complete pain relief were acute pain and short duration of pain prior to RT. The prognostic factor for insufficient pain relief was total RT dose. CONCLUSION: Refractory heel pain is effectively treated with RT, which should be considered a primary treatment approach rather than a last resort.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=8657925&dopt=Abstract pain, pain medicine, pain relief