Der Schmerz
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Spinal injections are a treatment option in the conservative management of degenerative spinal disorders. The indications must be critically reviewed for every patient. ⋯ A large number of imaging techniques are used to achieve a precise and safe needle placement in interventional procedures. The following article presents an overview of common fluoroscopy-guided spinal injection techniques for the cervical spine.
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Editorial Historical Article
[Der Schmerz: An interdisciplinary journal for 25 years!].
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Review Comparative Study
[Is the pharmacological treatment of constipation in palliative care evidence based? : a systematic literature review].
To evaluate the evidence for clinically established pharmacological therapies for constipation in palliative care, a systematic literature review was performed in different databases (Cochrane Library, Embase, PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, CINAHL), textbooks, and publications. ⋯ Evidence on medical treatment of constipation in palliative care is sparse and guidelines have to refer to evidence from outside the palliative care setting and to expert opinions. Results from studies with other patient groups can only be transferred with limitations to very ill patients at the end of life who might have a higher risk for potential side effects such as gastrointestinal perforation in case of abdominal tumor manifestation. Therefore further studies are required to evaluate the medical treatment of multiple reasons for constipation in these patients. These studies should focus on feasibility, clinical relevance and quality of life. The English full text version of this article will be available in SpringerLink as of November 2012 (under "Supplemental").