Articles: neuropathic-pain.
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Facial chronic neuropathic pain (FCNP) is a disabling clinical entity, its incidence is increasing within the chronic pain population. There is indication for neuromodulation when conservative treatment fails. Motor cortex stimulation (MCS) has emerged as an alternative in the advanced management of these patients. The aim of this work is to review the worldwide literature on MCS for FCNP. ⋯ MCS for FNCP is a safe and efficacious treatment option when previous managements have failed; however, there is still lack of strong evidence (larger randomized controlled multicentre studies) that MCS can be offered in a regular basis to FNCP patients.
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Spinal nerve ligation (SNL) injury in rats produces a pain syndrome that includes mechanical and thermal allodynia. Previous studies have indicated that proinflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) play an important role in peripheral mediation of neuropathic pain, and that altered dorsal root ganglion (DRG) function and degree of DRG neuronal apoptosis are associated with spinal nerve injury. The present study was conducted to evaluate the expression of TNF-α and the extent of apoptosis in the dorsal root ganglion after SNL in rats. ⋯ SNL injury produces mechanical and cold allodynia, as well as TNF-α elevation and apoptosis in the DRG.
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Surgical excision was performed on a 30-years old woman with a painful mass on her left thigh. The pathologic findings on the mass indicated fibromatosis. After the operation, she complained of allodynia and spontaneous pain at the operation site and ipsilateral lower leg. ⋯ We found a large liposarcoma in her left iliopsoas muscle which compressed the lumbar plexus. In conclusion, the cause of pain was lumbar plexopathy related to a mass in the left iliopsoas muscle. Prompt diagnosis of acute neuropathic pain after an operation is important and management must be based on exact causes.
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Aims/Introduction: Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is often associated with pain, and thus a new treatment option is anticipated. We recently showed the efficacy of pregabalin in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 14-week trial in Japanese patients with painful DPN. In the present study, we evaluated the long-term efficacy and safety of pregabalin for the relief of painful DPN. ⋯ The findings from this trial suggest that long-term treatment with pregabalin is beneficial for pain relief in patients with DPN. This trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (no. NCT00553280). (J Diabetes Invest, doi: 10.1111/j.2040-1124.2011.00122.x, 2011).
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Nanna Finnerup graduated from the Medical School at Aarhus University, Denmark, in 1993, and after an internship worked at the Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. Since 1998 she has worked at the Danish Pain Research Center at Aarhus University. ⋯ Dr Finnerup is a Management Committee Member of the Special Interest Group on Neuropathic Pain (NeuPSIG) of the International Association for the Study of Pain and a board member of the Scandinavian Association for the Study of Pain (SASP). She is a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of the Scandinavian Journal of Pain, the Encyclopedia of Pain and Pain Management.