Intrathecal baclofen and pregnancy: implications for clinical care.

Pregnancy in patients with intrathecal baclofen (ITB) pumps is rare. To our knowledge, only five reported cases of pregnancy exist in the literature. Thus, there is little experience to inform health care practitioners about the maternal and fetal safety of ITB or its efficacy throughout pregnancy.

Life care planning.

Physicians may be asked to help plan long-term needs of patients with catastrophic injury. It is crucial to know the life expectancy and be intimately familiar with the needs of the disabled person for whom one is planning. This article uses two diagnostic groups as models to illustrate the process: one a spinal cord injured adult and the other a child with cerebral palsy and mental retardation.

The use of topical 4% lidocaine in spheno-palatine ganglion blocks for the treatment of chronic muscle pain syndromes: a randomized, controlled trial.

To assess the efficacy of 4% topical lidocaine in spheno-palatine blocks, a randomized controlled trial was carried out on patients with chronic muscle pain syndromes. Sixty-one patients (42 with fibromyalgia (FM) and 19 with myofascial pain syndrome (MPS)) completed the trial. Outcome measures included pain intensity, a daily pain diary, headache frequency, sensitivity to pressure using a dolorimeter, anxiety, depression, and sleep quality.