• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제33권2호
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• pp.183-191
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• 2020

Background: Opioids can present intolerable adverse side-effects to patients who use these analgesics to mitigate chronic pain. In this retrospective analysis, cooled radiofrequency (CRF) denervation was evaluated to provide pain and disability relief and reduce opioid use in patients with sacroiliac joint (SIJ) derived low back pain (LBP). Methods: Twenty-seven patients with pain from SIJ refractory to conservative treatments, and taking opioids chronically (> 3 mo), were included. Numeric rating scale (NRS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI) scores were collected at 1, 6, and 12 months post-procedure. Opioid use between baseline and each follow-up visit was compared for the entire group and for those who experienced successful (pain reduction ≥ 50% of baseline value) or unsuccessful CRF denervation. Results: Severe initial mean pain (NRS score: 7.7 ± 1.0) and disability (ODI score: 50.1 ± 9.0), and median opioid use (morphine equivalent daily dose: 40 ± 37 mg) were significantly reduced up to 12 months post-intervention. CRF denervation was successful in 44.4% of the patients at 12 months. Regardless of procedure success, patients demonstrated similar opioid reductions and changes in opioid use at 12 months. Two patients (7.4%) experienced neuritis following CRF denervation. Conclusions: CRF denervation of the SIJ can safely elicit pain and disability relief, and reduce opioid use, regardless of intervention success. Future studies may support CRF denervation as a dependable therapy to alleviate opioid use in patients with SIJ-derived LBP and show that opioid use measurements can be a surrogate indicator of pain.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제50권2호
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• pp.151-153
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• 2011

We describe a rare case of pulsed radiofrequency treatment for pain relief associated with meralgia paresthetica. A 58-year-old female presented with pain in the left anterior lateral thigh. An imaging study revealed no acute lesions compared with a previous imaging study, and diagnosis of meralgia paresthetica was made. She received temporary pain relief with lateral femoral cutaneous nerve blocks twice. We performed pulsed radiofrequency treatment, and the pain declined to 25% of the maximal pain intensity. At 4 months after the procedure, the pain intensity did not aggravate without medication. Pulsed radiofrequency neuromodulation treatment on the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve may offer an effective, low risk treatment in patients with meralgia paresthetica who are refractory to conservative medical treatment.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제26권7호
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• pp.538-542
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• 1993

An approach to the treatment of post-operative pain by the injection of bupivacaine into the pleural space through an intrapleural cathter has been studied. Among 24 thoracotomy patients, bupivacaine was injected only to experimental group[ 12 patients ] when the patient was able to head up for oneself during recovery from anesthesia. The pain and ROM[ range of motion ] scores, respiration rate, PaCO2 level of both experimental and control group were measured at the time of head-up and 30 and 120 minutes thereafter.The scores of pain and ROM of experimental group were significantly[ P value < 0.05 ] decreased in 30 minutes and 120 minutes after bupivacaine injection compared with those of control group but respiration rate and PaCO2 level were not changed significantly. With this result, we can suggest that intrapleural injection of bupivacaine is useful for pain relief following thoracotomy.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제1권2호
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• pp.177-180
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• 1988

Transsacral neurolytic block with 2.5ml of phenol in glycerine or bupivacaine was performed in 6 patients with malignant diseases and a patient with sphincter spasm of bladder due to spinal cord injury. Pain relief was satisfactory in all patints except one patient with very low pain threshold. In one patient, second transsacral neurolytic block alone was not sufficient because of widespread pain along distant metastasis of the malignant disease, although the first block was satisfactory. The complications include transient motor weakness(4), voiding difficulty(1), subarachnoid puncture(1), and epidural venous puncture(1), but they were all spontaneously recovered within a sbort period of time and did not give any limitation to the block.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• 제23권2호
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• pp.191-195
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• 2006

This article presents a case report of complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) involving the ankle and foot; the bee-venom herbal acupuncture (BVH) was performed as part of a pain management program. An 46-year-old man presented with CRPS in the left lower extremity that was inadequately controlled with typical oral medication. Sympathetic block the extremity did not provide significant pain relief. However, BVH resulted in significant pain relief and improvement in patient's attitude. This case report showed that BVH may be efficacious in treating patients with CRPS. Further study is needed to determine the effects of BVH on symptoms related to CRPS.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제18권2호
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• pp.151-155
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• 2005

Background: A significant number of patients complain of persistent pain or neurologic symptoms after lower back surgery. It is reported that facet joint pain plays a role in failed back surgery syndrome. To the best of our knowledge, there are few studies that have investigated the outcome of radiofrequency neurotomy in the patients with failed back surgery syndrome. Methods: The study group was composed of thirteen patients who were operated on due to their low back pain, and they displayed no postoperative improvement. All the patients underwent double diagnostic block of the lumbar medial branch of the dorsal rami with using 0.5% bupivacaine. The patients who revealed a positive response to the double diagnostic block were then treated with percutaneous radiofrequency neurotomy. The effect on their pain was evaluated with using a 4 point Likert scale. Results: Eleven patients revealed a positive response to the double diagnostic block. Ten patients were given percutaneous radiofrequency neurotomy. Nine patients showed sustained pain relief for 3 months after the percutaneous radiofrequency neurotomy. Conclusions: We found lumbar facet joint syndrome in the patients with failed back surgery syndrome by performing double diagnostic block and achieving pain relief during the short term follow-up after percutaneous radiofrequency neurotomy of the lumbar zygapophysial joints. This suggested that facet joint pain should be included in failed back surgery syndrome.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제9권1호
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• pp.83-88
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• 1996

This is a retrospective analysis of 158 patients who visted our Neuro-Pain clinic, April 1992 to March 1996, suffering from trigeminal neuralgia. Most patients received nerve blocks in its triggering peripheral branches of pain. All patients experienced pain relief for 3 months after initial successful nerve block. Twenty two patients complained of recurring pain within 4 to 32 months. Mean duration of pain relief was as follows: infraorbital nerve block 15.2 months, maxillary nerve block 16.8 months, and mandibular nerve block 23.4 months. Demographic and clinical characteristics of all patients were also evaluated. This study demonstrates that alcohol block is a safe and effective method of treating trigeminal neuralgia.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제10권1호
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• pp.86-88
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• 1997

Regional sympathetic blockade is the most effective treatment for reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD). Radiofrequency thermocoagulation provides longer duration of pain relief than local anesthetics and less complication than chemical neurolytic agents for lumbar sympathectomy. Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is thought to be an effective modality yieding good results in treating intractable neuropathic pain. Therefore RSD might be a good indication for SCS. We treated a patient with RSD who responded well to lumbar sympathetic blockade (LSB) with radiofrequency thermocoagulation and SCS. The patient had a left ankle sprain requiring a case for the lower leg for 2 weeks. The patient suffered increasing pain and swelling on the lower part of that leg. We thought to block the lumbar sympathetic chain utillzing radiofrequency thermocoagulation 2 days after LSB with local anesthetics. The results provided accepatable pain relief (VAS $8{\rightarrow}15$) but the patient still could not walk due to remaining pain which was further aggravated by walking. After SCS, pain relief improved (VAS $5{\rightarrow}13$) and patient could walk without assistance.

• 임상간호연구
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.286-296
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• 2011

Purpose: This research was done to compare the pain relief effects of various nursing interventions, such as cold therapy, attention diversion and 10% Lidocaine spray during arteriovenous fistula needling for patients on hemodialysis, and also to identify and develop more effective nursing interventions for pain relief in these patients. Methods: This research was conducted from October 1, 2010 to January 31, 2011 with 8 hemodialysis patients, who were on regular dialysis (3 times a week) at K University Hospital in Seoul and had an arteriovenous fistula within the past 3 months. Each patient received the three nursing interventions (cold therapy, attention diversion and 10% Lidocaine spray therapy) prior to the arteriovenous fistula needling and applied in turn with the series being repeated 4 times. After each intervention, physiologic indexes, subjective and objective pain were measured at the time of needling. ANOVA was used with SPSS/WIN 12.0 to analyze pain scores and comparison of physiologic indexes (BP, pulse). Results: No significant differences were found for subjective pain (p=.574), objective pain (p=.562) and total pain (p=.506) among the 3 interventions. Systolic blood pressure (p=.689), diastolic blood pressure (p=.969) and pulse (p=.980) also showed no significant difference among the 3 interventions. Conclusion: These 3 interventions are all possible for pain relief during arteriovenous fistula needling for these patients. However, the only interventions that nurses can do independently are cold therapy and attention diversion so we recommend that these nursing interventions be used.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제32권3호
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• pp.228-230
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• 2019