Articles: neuralgia.
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Our previous study evaluated the effectiveness and safety of radiofrequency thermocoagulation (RFT) of trigeminal gasserian ganglion for idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia (ITN). The aim of this study was to evaluate the optimal radiofrequency temperature of computed tomography (CT)-guided RFT for treatment of ITN. ⋯ The optimal radiofrequency temperature to maximize pain relief and minimize facial numbness or dysesthesia may be 75 °C, but this requires confirmation.
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To estimate the prevalence and examine the associations of neuropathic-like pain in a community-based sample of older Australian women with arthritis. ⋯ Neuropathic-like pain in women with arthritis was common and is associated with greater disability and poorer quality of life.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Jul 2016
Long-term outcomes of intradural cervical dorsal root rhizotomy for refractory occipital neuralgia.
OBJECT Occipital neuralgia (ON) causes chronic pain in the cutaneous distribution of the greater and lesser occipital nerves. The long-term efficacy of cervical dorsal root rhizotomy (CDR) in the management of ON has not been well described. The authors reviewed their 14-year experience with CDR to assess pain relief and functional outcomes in patients with medically refractory ON. ⋯ The most common acute postoperative complications were infections in 9% (n = 5) and CSF leaks in 5% (n = 3); chronic complications included neck pain/stiffness in 16% (n = 9) and upper-extremity symptoms in 5% (n = 3) such as trapezius weakness, shoulder pain, and arm paresthesias. CONCLUSIONS Cervical dorsal root rhizotomy provides an efficacious means for pain relief in patients with medically refractory ON. In the appropriately selected patient, it may lead to optimal outcomes with a relatively low risk of complications.
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Am J Hosp Palliat Care · Jul 2016
Observational StudyThe Prevalence of Neuropathic Pain in Terminally Ill Patients With Cancer Admitted to a Palliative Care Unit: A Prospective Observational Study.
The primary aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of neuropathic pain (NP) in patients with cancer receiving palliative care. ⋯ The prevalence of NP in terminally ill patients with cancer in Japanese palliative care units was 18.6%.
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Neurobiology of disease · Jul 2016
Reversal of neurochemical alterations in the spinal dorsal horn and dorsal root ganglia by Mas-related gene (Mrg) receptors in a rat model of spinal nerve injury.
The rodent Mas-related gene (Mrg) receptor subtype C has been demonstrated to inhibit pathological pain. This study investigated the mechanisms underlying the reversal of pain hypersensitivity by the selective MrgC receptor agonist bovine adrenal medulla 8-22 (BAM8-22) in a rat model of L5 spinal nerve ligation (SNL). Intrathecal (i.t.) administration of BAM8-22 (0.1-10nmol) attenuated mechanical allodynia in a dose-dependent manner on day 10 after SNL. ⋯ Furthermore, the BAM8-22 exposure suppressed the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced increase of nNOS and IL-1β in the DRG explant cultures and the BAM8-22-induced suppression disappeared in the presence of MrgC receptor antibody. The present study provides evidence that activation of MrgC receptors inhibits nerve injury-induced increase of pronociceptive molecules in DRG neurons, suppressing astrocyte activation, the upregulation of excitatory mediators and phosphorylation of transcription factors in the spinal dorsal horn. As MrgC receptors are unequally expressed in the dorsal root and trigeminal ganglia, this study suggests that targeting MrgC receptors could be a new therapy for neuropathic pain with limited unwanted effects.