A novel technique to identify and thermally ablate the greater occipital nerve for patients with occipital neuralgia: a retrospective study with cadaveric and validation.

Background: This manuscript presents the challenges of treating various forms of headaches and the potential of interventional techniques targeting the greater occipital nerve (GON) to alleviate the burden on patients. Occipital neuralgia, characterized by stabbing or shooting pain in the base of the skull, is often associated with primary, cervicogenic, or migraine headaches. While occipital nerve blocks offer temporary relief, durable treatment options are limited.

Trainee Insight into Pain Fellowship Programs: A Critical Evaluation of the Current Educational System by the APPD.

Background: Since 1992, when the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) acknowledged pain medicine as a subspecialty, the field has experienced significant growth in its number of programs, diversity of sponsoring specialties, treatment algorithms, and popularity among applicants. These shifts prompted changes to the educational model, overseen by program directors (PDs) and the ACGME. The pool of pain fellowship applicants also changed during that period.

Mitigating Factors in L4 and L5 Medial Branch Motor Stimulation During Radiofrequency Ablation.

Purpose Of Review: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a minimally invasive procedure for facet joint pain. The targets for the procedure are the medial branches of the dorsal spinal nerves which innervate the facet joints. Before RFA, patients undergo diagnostic meal branch blocks to ensure appropriate pain relief and confirm the utility of proceeding to RFA.

Benefits and barriers to return to education and relationship to quality of life for people living with spinal cord injury: Results of a mixed methods study.

Context: There is limited research on return to education (RTE) after spinal cord injury (SCI). As a result, few programs exist to help people achieve this goal.

Objective: The primary objective was to investigate the barriers and facilitators to RTE, and the relationship between RTE and quality of life (QOL).

Rehabilitation after Hypoxic and Metabolic Brain Injury in a Mountain Climber.

A patient in her 50s presented with altered mental status and shortness of breath at 4600 m elevation. After descent to the base of the mountain, the patient became comatose. She was found to have bilateral pulmonary infiltrates and a serum sodium of 102 mEq/L.

Prediction of Discharge Destination After Inpatient Rehabilitation for Stroke Using Mobility and Self-Care Assessment in Section GG of the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility - Patient Assessment Instrument.

Objective: To determine the ability of Section GG of the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility - Patient Assessment Inventory (Section GG)'s quantification of mobility and self-care to predict discharge destination for persons with stroke after inpatient rehabilitation.

Design: Retrospective, observational cohort study.

Setting: 150-bed inpatient rehabilitation facility within a metropolitan health system.

Adipose Tissue Impacts Radiofrequency Ablation Lesion Size: Results of an Ex Vivo Poultry Model.

Background: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a common treatment in which radiofrequency (RF) is used to heat neural tissue and reduce pain. The impact of adipose content in tissue on the lesion size may impact efficacy, and to date, there is little, if any, data comparing its influence on RFA.

Objectives: We evaluated the influence of adipose tissue on RF lesion size.

Responsiveness of Section GG Scores in Tracking Post-Stroke Functional Recovery From Inpatient Rehabilitation Admission to 90-Day Follow-Up.

Objective: To evaluate the responsiveness and scale-to-sample targeting of Section GG of the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility-Patient Assessment Instrument in measuring the trajectory of functional recovery in patients with stroke from inpatient rehabilitation admission to 90 days after discharge.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: 150-bed inpatient rehabilitation facility.

Convergent Validity for the Functional Upper Extremity Levels (FUEL) in Stroke Rehabilitation.

Importance: Research is needed to validate an easy-to-use, functional, evidence-based neurological upper extremity (UE) assessment that requires minimal training.

Objective: To establish convergent validity for the Functional Upper Extremity Levels (FUEL), a function-based upper limb measure, with the Upper Extremity Fugl-Meyer Assessment (UE-FMA), the gold standard assessment of upper limb recovery poststroke.

Design: Retrospective chart review of 292 clients with admission and discharge data for the UE-FMA and the FUEL.

A Hybrid Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Curriculum for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Residents-a Multi-center Pilot Program.

Purpose Of Review: The increased use of musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSKUS) in clinical practice warrants achieving competency earlier in physiatrists' careers. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) residency programs have started incorporating formal MSKUS training in their curricula; however, significant heterogeneity remains in MSKUS education.

Recent Findings: Numerous barriers contribute to the lack of consensus for MSKUS training during residency, but the COVID-19 pandemic severely disrupted in-person learning.

Association of delirium and spatial neglect in patients with right-hemisphere stroke.

Background: Delirium, an acute and fluctuating decline in cognitive functioning, increases mortality and length of hospital stays (LOS) and adversely affects functional outcomes. Previous studies suggested that the incidence of delirium may be increased in right-hemisphere strokes. Similarly, spatial neglect, a disabling deficit in unilateral spatial processing, is more common and more severe following a right-sided stroke.

The Effect of Local Anesthetics and Contrast Agents on Radiofrequency Ablation Lesion Size.

Background: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a validated treatment option for the treatment of chronic pain in patients with lumbar spondylosis. Lesion size has been suggested to correlate with good clinical outcomes. This has created an abundance of scientific interest in the development of products with larger lesion characteristics.

Activity Measure for Post-Acute Care "6-Clicks" Basic Mobility Scores Predict Discharge Destination After Acute Care Hospitalization in Select Patient Groups: A Retrospective, Observational Study.

Objectives: To establish cutoff scores for the Activity Measure for Post-Acute Care "6-Clicks" standardized Basic Mobility scores (sBMSs) for predicting discharge destination after acute care hospitalization for diagnostic subgroups within an acute care population and to evaluate the need for a second score to improve predictive ability.

Design: Retrospective, observational design.

Setting: Major medical center in metropolitan area.

Stroke Recovery Program with Modified Cardiac Rehabilitation Improves Mortality, Functional & Cardiovascular Performance.

Background: Physical activity and exercise after stroke is strongly recommended, providing many positive influences on function and secondary stroke prevention. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a stroke recovery program (SRP) integrating modified cardiac rehabilitation on mortality and functional outcomes for stroke survivors.

Methods: This study used a retrospective analysis of data from a prospectively collected stroke rehabilitation database which followed 449 acute stroke survivors discharged from an inpatient rehabilitation facility between 2015 and 2020.

Effect of Adding a Wheelchair Immersion Program to a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clerkship on Emotions, Behavior, and Attitude: A Prospective Pilot Study.

People with disabilities encounter significant barriers in health care and report that healthcare providers often lack an understanding in caring for them. Currently, there is limited disability awareness training in medical school curricula. This mixed-methods pilot study examined the effects of integrating a short wheelchair immersion program in a physical medicine and rehabilitation clerkship, versus the clerkship alone, on attitudes toward people with disabilities, comfort in treating people with disabilities, knowledge of wheelchair etiquette, and understanding of wheelchair-associated challenges.