Pain physician
-
Congenital lumbar spinal stenosis is an uncommon condition that is often asymptomatic in young adults. Herein, we document the first reported occurrence of acute radicular back pain and associated congenital lumbar spinal stenosis in a healthy 24-year-old woman undergoing an epidural blood patch for treatment of a post-dural puncture headache related to an accidental dural puncture sustained during placement of a labor epidural catheter. The acute pain symptoms were elicited twice with injection of less than 1 mL of fluid into the epidural space during the fluoroscopically assisted epidural blood patch. ⋯ The prominent epidural fat could have prevented rapid disbursement of the injected fluid which could have further served to propagate the pressure increase throughout the epidural compartment. The unique radiographic features of congenital spinal stenosis could predispose some patients with this unrecognized condition to develop acute pain upon injection of a small amount of fluid into the epidural compartment. Unrecognized congenital lumbar spinal stenosis is an important addition to the differential diagnosis of acute radicular pain elicited during an epidural blood patch in previously asymptomatic patients.
-
We are presenting a paper on the effectiveness of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) in 2 patients suffering pain from brachial plexus injury (BPI). After a traumatic brachial plexus lesion about 80% of patients develop pain in the deafferentated arm. This pain is considered very resistant to many forms of therapy. ⋯ Many injuries are due to motorcycle accidents, so that patients are often young and require long-term pain relief. During the SCS trial the pain relief was more than 50% with an absolute improvement in the quality of life and significant drug reduction. The results of the SCS were excellent in these 2 patients, defined as more than 50% pain relief at 6 and 18 months.
-
Case Reports
Successful treatment of digital ulcers in a scleroderma patient with continuous bilateral thoracic sympathetic block.
Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) associated with connective tissue disease (secondary RP) may be difficult to manage with conservative therapy. A combination of sympathetically mediated vasospasm and vaso-occlusion has been implicated as the etiology of digital ischemic phenomenon. Thoracic sympathetic outflow blocking has been performed with various techniques. However, there have been some limitations in all treatment options. ⋯ Continuous infusion of mepivacaine into the thoracic sympathetic ganglionic space led to the healing of the medically refractory gangrenous ulcer of the fingers in the patient with scleroderma.
-
A recent study has indicated that quality assurance for interventional pain management procedures (IPMPs) can be achieved in university pain clinics. However, the issue of quality assurance for IPMPs in private practice has not yet been addressed. ⋯ The results of the current study suggest that high quality private interventional pain programs with high efficacy, high patient satisfaction, and low complication rates can be achieved through appropriate staff training, proper monitoring of patients during IPMPs, and adequate handling of patients after the IPMPs.
-
Review Case Reports
Epidural blood patch for chronic daily headache with postural component: a case report and the review of published cases.
Post dural puncture headache (PDPH) can be observed after any trauma to the dura. The hallmark of PDPH is an increasing headache when assuming the upright position and improvement with the supine position. Diagnosis of PDPH is essentially based on history of dural puncture and clinical presentation. ⋯ Epidural blood patch is a safe and effective treatment for PDPH and routinely done for acute onset of postural headache after spinal or epidural anesthesia or analgesia. Here, we report the successful treatment of chronic daily headache with a postural component via an epidural blood patch one year after the onset. We also review the literature pertinent to the use of epidural blood patch in chronic daily headache patients with postural component.