Anesthesiology
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Ultrasound-Guided Percutaneous Cryoneurolysis to Treat Chronic Post-Amputation Phantom Limb Pain: A Multicenter, Randomized, Controlled Trial.
Postamputation phantom pain is notoriously persistent with few validated treatments. Cryoneurolysis involves the application of low temperatures to reversibly ablate peripheral nerves. The authors tested the hypothesis that a single cryoneurolysis treatment would decrease phantom pain 4 months later. ⋯ Percutaneous cryoneurolysis did not decrease chronic lower extremity phantom limb pain 4 months after treatment. However, these results were based upon the authors' specific study protocol, and since the optimal cryoneurolysis treatment parameters such as freeze duration and anatomic treatment location remain unknown, further research is warranted.
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Perioperative β-blocker therapy has been associated with increased risk of stroke. However, the association between β-blocker initiation before the day of surgery and the risk of stroke is unknown. The authors hypothesized there would be no association between preoperative β-blocker initiation within 60 days of surgery or chronic β-blockade (more than 60 days) and the risk of stroke in patients undergoing major abdominal surgery. ⋯ Among patients undergoing elective major abdominal surgery, the authors observed no association between preoperative β-blocker initiation within 60 days of surgery or chronic β-blocker therapy and stroke.