A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of transdiscal radiofrequency, biacuplasty for treatment of discogenic lower back pain.

Objective: The aim was to compare the efficacy of intradiscal biacuplasty (IDB) with that of placebo treatment for discogenic low back pain.

Design: This is a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Subjects were randomized on a 1:1 basis to IDB and sham groups.

Ultrasound-guided transversus abdominis plane catheter for chronic abdominal pain.

Background And Objectives: Neural blockade of the thoracolumbar nerves supplying the anterior abdominal wall through transversus abdominis plane (TAP) has been investigated for different applications mainly for the acute pain management following abdominal surgical procedures. The role of this block for chronic pain syndromes is still to be discovered, and its value in chronic abdominal pain needs to be studied. We are presenting new application of the TAP technique for management of chronic abdominal pain syndrome using the continuous infusion.

Tunneled epidural catheter infections in noncancer pain: increased risk in patients with neuropathic pain/complex regional pain syndrome.

Background And Objective: Tunneled epidural catheters are often used to control pain and facilitate rehabilitation in patients with regional pain syndromes. A cohort retrospective study design was undertaken to evaluate the risk of catheter-related infection in patients who underwent a TEC placement to manage their chronic noncancer regional pain over a 5-year period.

Methods: There were 260 tunneled epidural catheters placed in 218 patients accounting for a total of 10,985 catheter-days.