The varicella-zoster virus can reactivate in patients with impaired cell-mediated immunity, resulting in herpes zoster (HZ) and sometimes in herpetic neuralgia (HN). Stellate ganglion blockade (SGB) has been studied for the treatment of HN and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), but its effectiveness in preventing PHN in patients with acute HZ is not well-established. Here, we present a case of a 75-year-old woman who underwent SGB for HN of the right upper limb.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: Neuropathic pain (NP) is a complex condition that impairs the patients' quality of life. Registries are useful tools, increasingly used as they provide high-quality data. This article aims to describe the Greek Neuropathic Pain Registry (Gr.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: We reviewed our experience to determine the effect of epidural versus intravenous analgesia on postoperative pulmonary function and pain control in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) undergoing open surgery for abdominal aortic aneurysm.
Methods: A retrospective study with prospective collection of data of 30 COPD patients undergoing open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, during a 5-year period. Group I (n = 16) was operated under combined general and epidural anesthesia and epidural analgesia; group II (n = 14), under general anesthesia and intravenous analgesia.
Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a common cause of chronic pain in the elderly. Antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and opioids may reduce discomfort in many patients, while others have pain intractable to all forms of therapy. We present a novel treatment approach for intractable PHN utilizing percutaneous peripheral nerve stimulation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Alkaline gastritis is caused by excessive reflux of alkaline duodenal content into the stomach or gastric remnant following procedures that resect or de-functionalize/deviate the pyloric sphincter. The symptoms may be intractable and surgery may be required in a selected subgroup of patients. The goal of this study was to present our experience regarding surgical management of alkaline reflux gastritis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF