Regional anesthesia and pain medicine
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · Feb 2018
Case ReportsCervical Foraminal Epidural Blood Patch for the Targeted Treatment of Refractory Cerebrospinal Fluid Leakage From a Dural Sleeve.
Epidural blood patches (EBPs) are routinely used to treat symptoms (eg, headaches) associated with spontaneous intracranial hypotension. Although cerebrospinal fluid leakage commonly involves the periforaminal areas of the cervical or thoracic spine, EBPs have been historically performed at the lumbar level. Recent evidence suggests that targeting the causative spinal segment may provide greater clinical benefits. While previous reports have targeted foraminal leaks with segmental thoracic or cervical injections, we present a case report detailing the novel use of a navigable epidural catheter to perform a selective EBP at the C7/T1 foramen.
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · Feb 2018
Review Practice GuidelineThe Third American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine Practice Advisory on Local Anesthetic Systemic Toxicity: Executive Summary 2017.
The American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine's Third Practice Advisory on local anesthetic systemic toxicity is an interim update from its 2010 advisory. The advisory focuses on new information regarding the mechanisms of lipid resuscitation, updated frequency estimates, the preventative role of ultrasound guidance, changes to case presentation patterns, and limited information related to local infiltration anesthesia and liposomal bupivacaine. In addition to emerging information, the advisory updates recommendations pertaining to prevention, recognition, and treatment of local anesthetic systemic toxicity. ⋯ Contemporary case reports suggest a trend toward delayed presentation, which may mirror the increased use of ultrasound guidance (fewer intravascular injections), local infiltration techniques (slower systemic uptake), and continuous local anesthetic infusions. Small patient size and sarcopenia are additional factors that increase potential risk for LAST. An increasing number of reported events occur outside of the traditional hospital setting and involve non-anesthesiologists.
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · Feb 2018
Review Practice GuidelineThe European Society of Regional Anaesthesia and Pain Therapy/American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine Recommendations on Local Anesthetics and Adjuvants Dosage in Pediatric Regional Anesthesia.
Dosage of local anesthetics (LAs) used for regional anesthesia in children is not well determined. In order to evaluate and come to a consensus regarding some of these controversial topics, The European Society of Regional Anaesthesia and Pain Therapy (ESRA) and the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA) developed a Joint Committee Practice Advisory on Local Anesthetics and Adjuvants Dosage in Pediatric Regional Anesthesia. ⋯ High-level evidence is not yet available to guide dosage of LA used in regional blocks in children. The ASRA/ESRA recommendations intend to provide guidance in order to reduce the large variability of LA dosage currently observed in clinical practice.
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The experimental use of lipid emulsion for local anesthetic toxicity was originally identified in 1998. It was then translated to clinical practice in 2006 and expanded to drugs other than local anesthetics in 2008. Our understanding of lipid resuscitation therapy has progressed considerably since the previous update from the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, and the scientific evidence has coalesced around specific discrete mechanisms. ⋯ Other mechanisms have diminished in favor based on lack of evidence; these include direct effects on channel currents (eg, calcium) and mass-effect overpowering a block in mitochondrial metabolism. In this narrative review, we discuss these proposed mechanisms and address questions left to answer in the field. Further work is needed, but the field has made considerable strides towards understanding the mechanisms.
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · Feb 2018
Comparative StudyEthnic Differences Identified by Pain Sensitivity Questionnaire Correlate With Clinical Pain Responses.
The Pain Sensitivity Questionnaire, English version (PSQ-E), is predictive of pain-related responses to experimental stimuli. Ethnic differences have been noted in experimental measures of pain sensation using quantitative sensory testing. The present study sought to determine if the PSQ-E also identified similar ethnic differences. ⋯ The study demonstrated significantly elevated pain sensitivity in AA compared with NHW patients as measured by the PSQ-E and experimental and clinical pain intensity scores. This shows that the PSQ reflects the known elevation of pain sensitivity in AA subjects and suggests that it may be useful in assessing pain treatment disparities by identifying and standardizing differences in pain sensitivity.