Pain practice : the official journal of World Institute of Pain
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This study was performed to compare the perfusion index (PI) between affected and unaffected limbs in patients with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS); it also evaluated the usefulness of the PI for monitoring the response to intravenous ketamine infusion therapy in such patients. ⋯ The PI significantly differed between affected and unaffected limbs in patients with CRPS. The PI may be useful for monitoring the response to intravenous ketamine therapy in patients with CRPS.
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Chronic pain has a substantial negative impact on work-related outcomes, which underlines the importance of interventions to reduce the burden. Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) efficiently relieves pain in specific chronic pain syndromes and is recommended for treating failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) or post-surgical chronic back pain that is refractory to other treatments. To examine the impact of SCS in patients with FBSS on the return to work (RTW), we determined the RTW rate and the factors positively associated with the RTW. ⋯ Our protocol for SCS for patients with FBSS, including a strict selection of patients and a multidisciplinary approach, led to good results, especially for the RTW. RTW should be a therapeutic goal, directly affecting indirect costs related to FBSS.