Pain management
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The management of pain in pediatric palliative care (PPC) is essential. Whilst the field of pain management has developed over the years, much of what is done in PPC is based on anecdotal evidence or adult studies. ⋯ Key issues discussed include the definition, assessment, pharmacological and integrative management of pain, availability of medications, education and research. Whilst advances have been made, including publication of the guidelines, significant gaps exist in terms of the evidence base, education and access to essential medications and both interdisciplinary and international collaboration are required to meet these gaps.
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A multitude of studies have focused on individual additives to local anesthetics and their effect on quality, onset, duration, spread and selectivity, as well as the potential toxic effects of their use. This review aims to give a broad overview of the current evidence in this developing field, based on beneficial and adverse effects of these drugs. We discuss the limitations of the available data and hope to convey implications and future perspectives for clinicians and researchers alike.
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Quantitative sensory testing (QST), a set of noninvasive methods used to assess sensory and pain perception, has been used for three decades. The precision of the instruments and the uninvasiveness encouraged many QST-based trials. The developments made have benefited multiple disciplines. ⋯ The sensory pathway cannot be assessed in isolation from the affective and cognitive characteristics of patients or testers. Many variables potentially affect the reliability and reproducibility of QST, which after all, is designed for the testing of individuals by other individuals. Several decades of QST research have yielded exciting contributions, but the future of QST cannot be fully known.
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The sufentanil sublingual tablet system (SSTS) is a novel patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) system that is pending approval from the US FDA for the management of moderate to severe acute pain in hospitalized patients. SSTS offers a noninvasive alternative to intravenous (iv.) PCA and optimized on-demand analgesia with the rapid onset and titratibility of sublingual sufentanil. Phase III clinical trials have demonstrated that SSTS has greater efficacy for the treatment of pain during the 72-h postoperative period after open abdominal and major orthopedic (total knee or total hip arthroplasty) surgery compared with iv. ⋯ Safety assessments indicate that adverse events are typical for postoperative patients taking opioid analgesics. While the frequency of adverse events is comparable between patients using SSTS and iv. PCA MS, the incidence of oxygen desaturation is lower in those using SSTS.
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Ultrasonography has multiple advantages over traditional radiologic imaging modalities when used for interventional procedures. It allows improved visualization of the anatomy while avoiding ionizing radiation and risks associated with contrast use. ⋯ Current evidence for use in these settings is presented here. In some cases, optimal utility may be improved by combining ultrasonography with other imaging modalities.