Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a pain condition of the extremities that presents with pain and allodynia, decreased range of motion, swelling and skin changes. There are 2 forms of CRPS - Type I which does not have demonstrable nerve lesions and Type 2, which has evidence of obvious nerve damage. Management of refractory CRPS has been challenging.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPain Med
May 2010
Background: Paravertebral block (PVB) is an effective alternative to general anesthesia for breast cancer surgery. Continuous paravertebral block (CPVB) anesthesia may extend postoperative analgesia at home and improve quality of early postoperative recovery of breast cancer patients.
Purpose: This double-blinded randomized trial was conducted to compare degree of pain, nausea, mood, level of symptom distress, and time to return to normal daily activity between PVB and PVB + CPVB in patients undergoing outpatient breast cancer surgery.
Dapsone is a leprostatic agent commonly prescribed for the treatment of patients with leprosy, malaria, and a variety of blistering skin diseases, including dermatitis herpetiformis. Methemoglobinemia, a potentially life-threatening condition in which the oxygen-carrying capacity of blood in body tissues is reduced, is a known adverse effect of dapsone use. The authors report a case of dapsone-induced methemoglobinemia observed in the emergency department during routine workup for contact dermatitis in a patient with celiac disease.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF