Articles: pain-clinics.
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At one of the symposia at the 16th congress of the German Society for the Study of Pain in Berlin in 1991 an update on the use of pumps and ports in pain treatment was presented. This article tries to focus on some of the conclusions of this meeding. (1) To avoid neurologial damage only analgesic substances that have been tested in animals and with which we have adequate clinical experience, e.g. opiates, clonidine and baclofen, should be used for spinal anaesthesia. (2) The increasing number of manufactures of pumps, ports, catheters and puncture needles should pay more attention to safety and reliability of their products to avoid technical complications and should try to achieve compatibility between the different accessories such as catheters, needles and connecting pieces. (3) The mode of application (spinal versus epidural, pump versus port or externalized catheter) depends on the predicted period of treatment (spinal application for long-term treatment requires more hygienic precautions) and on differences in the individual care of the patient (4). Spinal opiates for benign pain (in case of failure of less invasive pain regiments) have been tested successfully, but the follow-up is not yet long enough to allow recommendation of this therapy for general use. (5) Local anaesthetics are useful for short-term use. The addition of local anaesthetics for continuous low-flow infusion of opiates requires further comparative studies. (6) Spinal baclofen is effective against pain induced by muscle spasms but not against non-spasticity-related pain syndrome.
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In a retrospective, controlled clinical study the life events of 35 patients suffering from chronic low back pain (LBP) and a matched sample of 23 patients with neurotic depression (ICD 300.4) were investigated. The pain patients formed two groups: 19 patients with definite organic diagnosis (IASP code 530.96) and 16 without (adequate) organic lesion (IASP code 510.99). Somatic diseases (other than LBP), injuries and operations, as well as psychic trauma (feelings of shame, narcissistic traumatisations and object losses) were defined and counted as documented in the patient's histories. ⋯ Object losses occur equally often in all groups, apart from the initial year, when depressive patients have to cope with even more losses than the others. These results are discussed considering the development of chronic pain syndromes, the influence of age and their consequences for models of illness. There is convincing evidence, that physical injury is neither a necessary nor a sufficient condition for the development of chronic pain and that chronic pain is in essence an emotional disease based on unresolved unconscious conflicts requiring psychotherapy.
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Treatment of chronic pain disease is a scientific and clinical challenge encountered in all branches of medicine. Essential trigeminal neuralgia and chronic pain situations are noted for their exceptionally marked severity and also for their psychic and social consequences. It is not rare for a primarily somatic pain syndrome to develop into a painful disease in its own right, which is highly refractory to treatment. ⋯ Vincristine iontophoresis was applied in 33 patients hitherto unsuccessfully treated with various other methods. In 78% of the cases, attenuation of the pain was achieved. This noninvasive therapy proved to be free of side effects.
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Neuropathic pain is one of the problem areas in the management of cancer pain. In a retrospective study, prevalence and characteristics of neuropathic pain in 1318 cancer patients attending a pain clinic were examined. Of the patients, 135 suffered from neuropathic, 285 from neuropathic and nociceptive, 890 from nociceptive and 8 from unknown pain conditions. ⋯ Of 110 clinically analysed neuropathic pain conditions, 44% were neuralgic, 31% radicular, 13% sympathically maintained, and 10% caused by deafferentiation, while in 3% the nature was unknown. To evaluate the efficacy of cancer pain treatment, nocicepetive pain has to be differentiated from neuropathic pain. In addition to this, neuropathic pain has to be divided into subgroups.
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The practice of obstetric anaesthesia can be highly rewarding. The clinician prepared with an understanding of maternal-fetal physiology (obstetric requirements), systemic narcotics, and regional anaesthesia can be highly effective at relieving pain and bringing about a successful delivery. While alternative techniques should always be considered, particularly those that stress childbirth education, continuous lumbar analgesia remains the most flexible and satisfactory approach. While there is new equipment (fine needles and smaller catheters) on the horizon, it remains to be demonstrated if they can match the success and safety record of present lumbar epidural practice.