• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제22권1호
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• pp.68-73
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• 2009

Opioids profoundly inhibit evoked discharges of spinal nociceptive neurons, thereby inhibiting the transmission of pain. Intrathecal administration of opioids using implantable continuous infusion systems is an effective method of pain relief when other treatments have failed, as well as for patients with adequate analgesia on high dose therapy that produces unacceptable side effects. We report two cases of intrathecal pump implantation performed in patients suffering from intractable chronic pain. A test dose of 3 mg morphine was injected into the epidural space. No side effects were noted and patients experienced considerable pain relief. Implantation was performed one day after the test. The initial intrathecal morphine delivery dose was half of the equivalent dose of daily oral intake opioids and the infusion rate was increased gradually under close observation for opioid side effects. Two days post-implantation, both patients were discharged without any complications.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제27권2호
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• pp.178-185
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• 2014

Epidural adhesions cause pain by interfering with the free movement of the spinal nerves and increasing neural sensitivity as a consequence of neural compression. To remove adhesions and deliver injected drugs to target sites, percutaneous epidural adhesiolysis (PEA) is performed in patients who are unresponsive to conservative treatments. We describe four patients who were treated with a newly developed inflatable balloon catheter for more effective PEA and relief of stenosis. In the present patients, treatments with repetitive epidural steroid injection and/or PEA with the Racz catheter or the NaviCath did not yield long-lasting effects or functional improvements. However, PEA and decompression with the inflatable balloon catheter led to maintenance of pain relief for more than seven months and improvements in the functional status with increases in the walking distance. The present case series suggests that the inflatable balloon catheter may be an effective alternative to performing PEA when conventional methods fail to remove adhesions or sufficiently relieve stenosis.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제3권1호
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• pp.34-39
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• 1990

급성 대상 포진환자 51예를 분석하여 다음과 같은 결과를 얻었다. 1) 발생 빈도는 50대 이상 고령층의 여자에서 높았다. 2) 이환 부위는 흉추부가 가장 많았다. 3) 통증 성격은 매우 다양하였으나 쏜다, 찌른다, 쑤신다가 가장 많았다. 4) 진통제는 aspirin과 phenobarbital을 가장 많이 사용하였다. 5) 스테로이드는 전신적으로 사용한 예가 가장 많았고 전신적 및 경막외로 병용했던 예가 많았다. 6) 신경차단으로 두경부 질환에는 성상 신경절 차단, 그 이하는 경막외 차단이 가장 많았다. 7) 대상 포진후 신경통으로 이행하는 율은 11.8%였다. 이상의 결과는 급성 대상 포진의 치료에 탁월한 효과를 갖는 단독적인 방법이 없다는 것을 의미하며 통계적으로 명확히 증명되지는 않았으나 국소 마취제에 스테로이드를 혼합하여 경막외에 주입하는 것이 확실한 교감신경 차단과 병소 및 전신적인 약물 효과를 얻을수 있다는 점에서 유리할 것으로 사료된다.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• 제22권5호
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• pp.175-182
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• 2005

Objectives : There are little reports on treatment of shoulder impingement syndrome with acute bursitis and supraspinatus tendinopathy in traditional Korean Medicine. We suggest oriental treatment for pain relief and better movement of shoulder impingement. Methods : A -Shi Point, Sa-am acupuncture, ohjuksan-gamipang, seokyongtang-gamipang were used to treat shoulder pain. we evaluated the patient through VAS(Visual Analogue Scale) daily and Physical Examinations. Results : After 5 days of treatment, shoulder pain was decreased from VAS 7.5 to VAS 2 and After 3 weeks, the patient showed nearly full ROM(range of movement). Conclusion : In shoulder impingement syndrome, oriental treatment is good method for pain relief and better movement.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제31권4호
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• pp.277-288
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• 2018

Background: Neck and back pain are leading sources of disability placing substantial burden on health care systems. Surgical interventions in managing chronic neck pain secondary to various disorders continue to increase. Even though surgical interventions are effective, a significant proportion of patients continue to have symptomatology and develop cervical post-surgery syndrome. This study was performed to know the effectiveness of cervical interlaminar epidural injections with or without steroids. Methods: The effectiveness of fluoroscopic cervical interlaminar epidural injections in post-surgery syndrome was evaluated in a randomized, active controlled trial. The study population included 116 patients assigned to 2 groups. Group 1 received cervical interlaminar epidural injections with local anesthetic alone and Group 2 received injection with local anesthetic and steroids. The main outcomes were defined as significant improvement (greater than 50%) of pain relief using the numeric rating scale and/or functional status improvement using the Neck Disability Index (NDI). Results: Both groups had similar results with significant improvement (${\geq}50%$ pain relief and functional status improvement) in 69% of the patients in Group I, whereas, in Group II, 71% of the patients showed significant improvement at the end of 2 years. During a 2-year period, the average number of procedures was 5 to 6, with an average of approximately 12 weeks of significant improvement per procedure. Conclusions: Fluoroscopic cervical interlaminar epidural injections administered in cervical post-surgery syndrome using local anesthetic, regardless of the use of steroids, may be effective in approximately 70% of the patients at 2-year follow-up.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제5권1호
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• pp.52-56
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• 1992

For pain relief my collegue and I used thin acupuncture needles as electrodes in electric stimulation. The needles were inserted into a trigger point and into another point located in the same muscle instead of meridian points of electro-acupuncture. Low frequency electric stimulation was given through the needles to 130 patients for 15 min. The results were as follows In 25 acute sprain patients electric stimulation was given $3.14{\pm}1.12$ times and the pain was reduced on the average by $83.00{\pm}6.77%$ (VAS). In 45 chronic sprain patients electric stimulation was given $5.51{\pm}1.38$ times and the pain was reduced on the average by $70.22{\pm}8.98%$ (VAS). In 28 myofascial pain syndrome patients electric stimulation was given $6.22{\pm}1.25$ times and the pain was reduced on the average by $66.48{\pm}8.75$(%). In 7 muscle contraction headache patients electric stimulation was given $4.14{\pm}1.57$ times and the pain was reduced on the average by $75.00{\pm}9.57%$ (VAS). In 25 radiculopathy patients electric stimulation was given $4.73{\pm}1.131$ times and the pain was reduced on the average by $21.37{\pm}9.31%$ (VAS). We he conclude that electric stimulation therapy using acupuncture needles is very effective in acute sprain, chronic sprain, myofascial pain syndrome and muscle contraction headache. Any doctor with knows anatomy and trigger points can practice this method without studying oriental medicine or difficult acupuncture techniques.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제57권1호
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• pp.32-35
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• 2015

Objective : The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between fracture pattern and the development of acute radiculopathy after osteoporotic lumbar compression fracture. Methods : This study included 59 patients who underwent bone cement augmentation for osteoporotic compression fracture below the L2 level, which can lead to radiculopathic radiating pain. The patients were divided into two groups according to the presence of radiculopathy (group A : back pain only; group B : back pain with newly developed radiating pain). We categorized compression fractures into three types by the position of the fracture line. The incidence of newly developed radiculopathy was examined retrospectively for each compression fracture type. Results : The overall incidence of newly developed leg pain (group B) was 25%, and the frequency increased with descending spinal levels (L2 : 0%, L3 : 22%, L4 : 43%, and L5 : 63%). The back pain-only group (group A) had mostly superior-type fractures. On the other hand, the back pain with radiculopathy group (group B) had mostly inferior-type fractures. Most patients in group B showed significant relief of leg pain as well as back pain after bone cement augmentation. Conclusion : The incidence of a newly developed, radiating pain after osteoporotic compression fractures increased gradually from the L3 to L5 levels. Most of these fractures were of the inferior type, and the bone cement augmentation procedures seemed to be sufficient for relief of both back and radiating pain.

• 대한두개안면성형외과학회지
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• 제25권1호
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• pp.17-21
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• 2024

Background: The pain caused by local anesthetic injection can lead to patient anxiety prior to surgery, potentially necessitating sedation or general anesthesia during the excision procedure. In this study, we aim to compare the pain relief efficacy and safety of using a digital automatic anesthetic injector for local anesthesia. Methods: Thirty-three patients undergoing excision of a benign soft tissue tumor under local anesthesia were prospectively enrolled from September 2021 to February 2022. A single-blind, randomized controlled study was conducted. Patients were divided into two groups by randomization: the experimental group with digital automatic anesthetic injector method (I-JECT group) and the control group with conventional injection method. Before surgery, the Amsterdam preoperative anxiety information scale was used to measure the patients' anxiety. After local anesthetic was administered, the Numeric Pain Rating Scale was used to measure the pain. The amount of anesthetic used was divided by the surface area of the lesion was recorded. Results: Seventeen were assigned to the conventional group and 16 to the I-JECT group. The mean Numeric Pain Rating Scale was 1.75 in the I-JECT group and 3.82 in conventional group. The injection pain was lower in the I-JECT group (p< 0.01). The mean Amsterdam preoperative anxiety information scale was 11.00 in the I-JECT group and 9.65 in conventional group. Patient's anxiety did not correlate to injection pain regardless of the method of injection (p= 0.47). The amount of local anesthetic used per 1 cm² of tumor surface area was 0.74 mL/cm² in the I-JECT group and 2.31 mL/cm² in the conventional group. The normalization amount of local anesthetic was less in the I-JECT group (p< 0.01). There was no difference in the incidence of complications. Conclusion: The use of a digital automatic anesthetic injector has shown to reduce pain and the amount of local anesthetics without complication.

• 대한간호학회지
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• 제29권5호
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• pp.1113-1122
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• 1999

The author investigated pain experiences of 90 cancer patients and the adequacy of pain treatment they have received during their stay at a large medical center in T city between October 1994 and August 1995. Pain was assessed by the Shortened BPQ and results are summarized as follows: As for ratings of “worst pain” during the 24 hour period, 70% of the patients reported they had “severe” pain. As for ratings on “pain now,” 43% of the cancer patients reported “moderate to severe” pain. Over 46% of the patients reported a pain relief score of 0(not at all) or 1(somewhat) even after receiving pain medication. Adequacy of analgesic treatment was evaluated by comparing the patient's reported level of pain and the analgesic use, namely, the pain management index(PMI). The PMI indicated that 58% of the patients were undertreated for the pain control. In review of nurse's notes. systematic pain assessment was scarcely recorded, although pain documentation appeared in 70% of the notes; and the contents were mostly simple description. In conclusion, the results of patient's pain ratings, the PMI and poor pain documentation in the nurse's notes implied poor pain assessment and management.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• 제36권1호
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• pp.113-117
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• 2009

Purpose: Although Hydrofluoric acid(HF) is not a strong acid when compared to other hydrogen halides, it is a feared corrosive and is particularly dangerous at higher concentrations. HF burns are characterized by symptoms, often delayed and localized with diluted HF solutions, to include erythema, edema and severe pain. Pain, a well known symptom following exposure to calcium binding. And, EMLA$^{(R)}$ cream is a topical formulation based upon the eutectic mixture of lidocaine and prilocaine and is used in clinical settings to provide pain relief undergoing superficial surgical procedures. The aim of this study is to evaluate effects of EMLA$^{(R)}$ cream, pain - control dressing on the treatment for HF injury wound. Methods: From June 2007 to June 2008, this study was carried out with 10 patients who had HF partial thickness burns. We were applied topically EMLA$^{(R)}$ cream to injured wound with vaseline gauze and 10% calcium gluconate wet gauze dressings. As a principle, in the emergency treatment, partial or complete removal of the bullae along with copious washing with normal saline was done, depending on the degree of HF invasion of the distal digital extremities. The effect of dressing was investigated by visual analogue pain scale. Results: We therefore reviewed 10 cases of HF - induced pain and pain relief treatment principle. The 10 cases who came to the hospital nearly immediately after the injury healed completely without sequelae and EMLA$^{(R)}$ related complications. Conclusion: Proper initial treatment of HF burns are important, if not promptly recognized and properly treated, for produce serious injury. Topical EMLA$^{(R)}$ cream remain a powerful, new advancement for minimizing HF - related pain during dressing procedures. When used appropriately, topical EMLA$^{(R)}$ cream can provide a safe and effective alternative to other forms of HF - pain control treatment.