Regional anesthesia and pain medicine
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · Aug 2020
ReviewClinical and economic strategies in outpatient medical care during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in significant clinical and economic consequences for medical practices of all specialties across the nation. Although the clinical implications are of the utmost importance, the economic consequences have also been serious and resulted in substantial damage to the US healthcare system, including pain practices. Outpatient pain practices have had to significantly change their clinical care pathways, including the incorporation of telemedicine. ⋯ This review article will provide insight into solutions to mitigate the clinical and economic challenges induced by COVID-19. Undoubtedly, the COVID-19 pandemic will have short-term and long-term implications for all medical practices and facilities. In order to survive, medical practices will need dynamic, operational, and creative strategic plans to mitigate the disruption in medical care and pathways for successful reintegration of clinical and surgical practice.
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · Aug 2020
Factors associated with academic rank among chronic pain medicine faculty in the USA.
Numerous factors are considered in the academic promotion of pain medicine physicians. In this study, we investigated the importance of research productivity, career duration, leadership, and gender on attaining professorship in chronic pain medicine fellowship programs in the USA. ⋯ Our study shows that, higher h-index, publication citations, division chief position, affiliation at a lower tier medical school, and location in the Western region were independently associated with full professorship, whereas gender was not. The identified variables for professorship may be considered as factors in faculty promotions.
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · Aug 2020
Evaluating the extent of lumbar erector spinae plane block: an anatomical study.
The erector spinae plane (ESP) block is a relatively new interfascial block technique. Previous cadaveric studies have shown extensive cephalocaudal spread with a single ESP injection at the thoracic level. However, little data exist for lumbar ESP block. The objective of this study was to examine the anatomical spread of dye following an ultrasound-guided lumbar ESP block in a human cadaveric model. ⋯ A lumbar ESP injection has limited craniocaudal spread compared with injection in the thoracic region. It has consistent spread to dorsal rami, but no anterior spread to ventral rami or paravertebral space.