Case report: Dorsal root ganglion stimulator lead fracture.

Background: One of the unique advances in neuromodulation for chronic pain has been spinal cord stimulators (SCS) and dorsal root ganglion stimulators (DRG-S). These devices have aided in conditions such as neuropathic pain, complex regional pain syndromes, failed back surgery, and peripheral neuropathies. With these benefits, however, complications from implantable stimulators have included lead fractures and migration.

Opioids after a cesarean section: Prescribing, patient use, storage, and disposal practices.

Cesarean sections (C-sections) are commonly performed procedures, accounting for approximately one-third of births in the United States. This is often one of the first medical encounters for women which require prescription medications to manage post-operative pain. Our observational study looked at opioids prescribed and consumed for post-surgical C-section pain.

Multidisciplinary simulation of local anaesthetic systemic toxicity improves diagnostic and treatment skills and self-confidence for pain clinic procedural staff.

Unlabelled: Local anaesthetic systemic toxicity (LAST) is a rare complication after outpatient interventional pain procedures, which can present as an emergent and life-threatening condition. Proficiency and confidence in managing this rare situation necessitates strategies to ensure team members can perform necessary tasks. The primary objective was to familiarse the pain clinic procedural staff-physicians, nurses, medical assistants, and radiation technologists-with concise and current instruction and an opportunity to practice in a controlled environment.

Sympathetic Blocks for Visceral Pain.

For patients with chronic pain or cancer-related pain, the most common indication for sympathetic block is to control visceral pain arising from malignancies or other alterations of the abdominal and pelvic viscera. When it is recalcitrant to conservative care, or if the patient is intolerant to pharmacotherapy, consideration of sympathetic blocks or neurolytic procedures is considered. Potential advantages of a neurolytic procedure, compared with spinal and epidural anesthetic infusions, include cost savings and avoidance of hardware.

Opioid Induced Hyperalgesia.

Objective: To discuss the phenomenon of opioid induced hyperalgesia (OIH) and investigate the data and clinical recommendations available on this topic.

Design: A literature search on the topic of OIH was performed. Relevant studies pertaining to OIH were included in this review.

Aberrant behaviors in a primary care-based cohort of patients with chronic pain identified as misusing prescription opioids.

Objective: To assess aberrant drug-related behaviors (ADRBs) in patients discharged from a community primary care practice for opioid misuse and treating physician's ability to identify predictive aberrant behaviors.

Design: Retrospective chart review of patients with chronic noncancer pain (CNCP) identified by their treating physician as misusing opioid analgesics, and patients with similar characteristics who had not been identified as misusing opioids. A survey of attending and resident physicians from these clinics on their knowledge of ADRBs was also collected.