Pain physician
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Neuropathy of the median nerve within the carpal tunnel (carpal tunnel syndrome) has an age adjusted incidence of 105 cases per 100,000 person years. Treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome ranges from conservative management with medication and exercise to surgical release of the median nerve. Conservative treatment accounts for a significant portion of resources utilized and includes splinting, nerve gliding, ultrasound, and carpal bone mobilization. ⋯ After a successful diagnostic median nerve block at the cubital fossa, pulsed radiofrequency of the median nerve was performed on the left side at the cubital fossa, under ultrasound guidance. Radiofrequency probe adjustment around the nerve was conducted under live ultrasound guidance and multiple pulsed treatments were applied at anatomically distinct sites over the nerve. A 70% reduction in pain was reported over the follow up period of 12 weeks.
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Stellate ganglion block is utilized in the diagnosis and management of various vascular disorders and sympathetically mediated pain in the upper extremity, head and neck. The cervical sympathetic chain is composed of superior, middle, intermediate, and inferior cervical ganglia. However, in approximately 80% of the population, the inferior cervical ganglion is fused with the first thoracic ganglion, forming the stellate ganglion also known as cervicothoracic ganglion. ⋯ Real-time ultrasound imaging prevented inadvertent injury to the esophagus as well as the thyroid gland and vessels. Ultrasound-guided block may improve patient safety by avoiding the soft tissue structures in the needle path that can't be readily seen by fluoroscopy. This may be particularly useful in the patient with asymptomatic pharyngoesophageal diverticulum (Zenker diverticulum).
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Myofascial pain is defined as pain that originates from myofascial trigger points in skeletal muscle. It is prevalent in regional musculoskeletal pain syndromes, either alone or in combination with other pain generators. The myofascial pain syndrome is one of the largest groups of under-diagnosed and under-treated medical problems encountered in clinical practice. Trigger points are commonly seen in patients with myofascial pain that can be responsible for localized pain in the affected muscles as well as referred pain patterns. Correct needle placement in a myofascial trigger point is vital to prevent complications and improve efficacy of the trigger point injection to help reduce or relieve myofascial pain. In the obese patients, these injections may not reach the target tissue. In the cervicothoracic spine, a misguided or misplaced injection can result in a pneumothorax. Here, we review an electromyographically guided trigger point injection technique to avoid this potential pitfall. ⋯ This technique helps confirm proper needle placement within the cervicothoracic musculature in an obese patient in whom the musculature is not readily palpated. This, thus, reduces the potential for a pneumothorax by an improperly placed injection.