An 84-year-old woman visited our pain clinic with complaints of low back pain and severe radiating pain in the right lower extremity during walking. The patient demonstrated subacute compression fracture of L3 with vacuum change in lumbar spine plain radiographs and MRI which suggest Kummell’s disease. Despite our conservative treatments, she had little back pain relief. Therefore, we planned a percutaneous vertebroplasty. Manual compression could help perform percutaneous vertebroplasty more effectively by expanding the vertebral body. In addition, the spontaneous recovery of vacuum cleft width using negative pressure could help perform the technique more effectively. We successfully performed percutaneous vertebroplasty using these combination therapies for our patient.

An 84-year-old woman visited our pain clinic with complaints of low back pain and severe radiating pain in the right lower extremity during walking. The patient demonstrated subacute compression fracture of L3 with vacuum change in lumbar spine plain radiographs and MRI which suggest Kummell’s disease. Despite our conservative treatments, she had little back pain relief. Therefore, we planned a percutaneous vertebroplasty. Manual compression could help perform percutaneous vertebroplasty more effectively by expanding the vertebral body. In addition, the spontaneous recovery of vacuum cleft width using negative pressure could help perform the technique more effectively. We successfully performed percutaneous vertebroplasty using these combination therapies for our patient.

BACKGROUND: Pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) is a treatment modality that alleviates radicular pain by intermittently applying high-frequency currents adjacent to the dorsal root ganglion. There has been no comparative study on analgesic effect according to the position of the needle tip in PRF treatment. The objective of this study is to evaluate the clinical outcomes of PRF according to the needle tip position. METHODS: Patients were classified into 2 groups (group IP [group inside of pedicle] and group OP [group outside of pedicle]) based on needle tip position in the anteroposterior view of fluoroscopy. In the anteroposterior view, the needle tip was advanced medially further than the lateral aspect of the corresponding pedicle in group IP; however, in group OP, the needle tip was not advanced. The treatment outcomes and pain scores were evaluated at 4, 8, and 12 weeks after applying PRF. RESULTS: At 4, 8, and 12 weeks, there were no significant differences between the successful response rate and numerical rating scale score ratio. CONCLUSIONS: The analgesic efficacy of PRF treatment did not differ with the needle tip position.
Analgesics ; Fluoroscopy ; Ganglia, Spinal ; Humans ; Low Back Pain ; Lumbosacral Region ; Needles ; Observational Study ; Pulsed Radiofrequency Treatment ; Radiculopathy ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Nerve Roots

BACKGROUND: Elevated intracranial pressure (ICP), a disadvantage of laparoscopic or robotic surgery, is caused by the steep angle of the Trendelenburg position and the CO₂ pneumoperitoneum. Recently, sonographically measured optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) was suggested as a simple and non-invasive method for detecting increased ICP. This study aimed to explore the changes in ONSD in relation to different anesthetic agents used in gynecologic surgery.METHODS: Fifty patients were randomly allocated to two groups, sevoflurane (group SEV, n = 25) and propofol-based total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) group (group TIVA, n = 25). The ONSD was measured at five time points (T0–T4): T0 was measured 5 min after induction of anesthesia in the supine position; T1, T2, and T3 were measured at 5, 15, and 30 min after CO₂ pneumoperitoneum induction in the Trendelenburg position; and T4 was measured at 5 min after discontinuation of CO₂ pneumoperitoneum in the supine position. Respiratory and hemodynamic variables were also recorded.RESULTS: The intra-group changes in mean ONSD in the Trendelenburg position were significantly increased in both groups. However, inter-group changes in mean ONSD were not significantly different at T0, T1, T2, T3, and T4. Heart rates in group TIVA were significantly lower than those in group SEV at points T1–T4.CONCLUSIONS: There was no significant difference in the ONSD between the two groups until 30 min into the gynecologic surgery with CO₂ pneumoperitoneum in the Trendelenburg position. This study suggests that there is no difference in the ONSD between the two anesthetic methods.
Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, Intravenous ; Anesthetics ; Female ; Gynecologic Surgical Procedures ; Head-Down Tilt ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Intracranial Hypertension ; Methods ; Optic Nerve ; Pneumoperitoneum ; Propofol ; Supine Position ; Ultrasonography

Breast cancer related lymphedema (BCRL) is one of the most intractable complications after surgery. Patients suffer from physical impairment, as well as psychological depression. Moreover, a recent study revealed that cellulitis significantly increased the risk of BCRL, and cellulitis has been suggested as a risk factor of BCRL development. We describe a patient treated with stellate ganglion blocks (SGBs) without steroid for relief of symptoms and reduction of the arm circumference of breast cancer-related infectious lymphedema in a month. We measured the arm circumference at four locations; 10 cm and 5 cm above and below the elbow crease, numeric rating scale (NRS) score, lymphedema and breast cancer questionnaire (LBCQ) score on every visit to the pain clinic. A serial decrease of the arm circumference and pain score were observed after second injection. In the middle of the process, cellulitis recurred, we performed successive SGBs to treat infectious lymphedema. The patient was satisfied with the relieved pain and swelling, especially with improved shoulder range of motion as it contributes to better quality of life. This case describes the effects of SGB for infectious BCRL patients. SGB could be an alternative or ancillary treatment for infectious BCRL patients.
Arm ; Breast Neoplasms ; Breast* ; Cellulitis ; Depression ; Elbow ; Humans ; Lymphedema* ; Pain Clinics ; Quality of Life ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Risk Factors ; Shoulder ; Stellate Ganglion*

Metastatic spinal tumors are usually quite difficult to treat. In patients with metastatic spinal tumors, conventional radiotherapy fails to relieve pain in 20-30% of cases and open surgery often causes considerable trauma and complications, which delays treatment of the primary disease. Percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) is considered to be useful in achieving rapid pain control and preventing further vertebral collapse due to spinal metastasis. However, symptoms of intraspinal neural compression can be contraindications to PVP. To overcome this problem, we performed PVP following targeted bipolar radiofrequency decompression, and examined the effect of the combined treatment in relieving severe radicular pain related to spinal cord compression caused by malignant metastatic tumors.
Decompression* ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Radiotherapy ; Spinal Cord Compression ; Spine ; Vertebroplasty*

Foraminal or extraforaminal Far Lateral Disc Herniations (FLDH) extending into or beyond the foraminal zone have been recognized as between 7-12% of all lumbosacral disc herniations. Conventional posterior laminectomy may not provide good access to a herniation that lies far lateral to the lateral margin of the pedicle. Use of the endoscopic technique through a percutaneous approach to treat such FLDH patients can decrease the surgical morbidity while achieving better outcomes. We made an effort to utilize the advantages of percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD) and to determine the appropriate approach for FLDH at the level between the 5th Lumbar and first Sacral vertebrae(L5-S1). The authors present a case of an endoscopically resected lumbar extruded disc of the left extraforaminal zone with superior foraminal migration at the level of L5-S1, which had led to foot drop, while placing the endoscope in the anterior epidural space without facetectomy.
Anesthesia, Local ; Diskectomy* ; Diskectomy, Percutaneous ; Endoscopes ; Endoscopy ; Epidural Space ; Foot* ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; Laminectomy ; Low Back Pain

Lymphedema of the upper limb after breast cancer surgery is a disease that carries a life-long risk and is difficult to cure once it occurs despite the various treatments which have been developed. Two patients were referred from general surgery department for intractable lymphedema. They were treated with stellate ganglion blocks (SGBs), and the circumferences of the mid-point of their each upper and lower arms were measured on every visit to the pain clinic. A decrease of the circumference in each patient was observed starting after the second injection. A series of blocks were established to maintain a prolonged effect. Both patients were satisfied with less swelling and pain. This case demonstrates the benefits of an SGB for intractable upper limb lymphedema.
Arm ; Autonomic Nerve Block ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Humans ; Lymphedema* ; Mastectomy ; Nerve Block ; Pain Clinics ; Stellate Ganglion* ; Upper Extremity

BACKGROUND: Opioid induced hyperalgesia (OIH) is related with high opioid dosage, a long duration of opioid administration, and abrupt discontinuation of infused opioids in anesthetic settings. Ketamine is known to attenuate OIH efficiently, but methods of administration and methods to quantify and assess a decrease in OIH vary. We demonstrated the existence of remifentanil-induced hyperalgesia and investigated the ability of ketamine to attenuate OIH. METHODS: Seventy-five patients undergoing laparoscopic gynecologic surgery under remifentanil-based anesthesia were assigned to one of the following groups: (1) group RL (remifentanil 0.05 microg/kg/min), (2) group RH (remifentanil 0.3 microg/kg/min), or (3) group KRH (remifentanil 0.3 microg/kg/min + ketamine 0.5 mg/kg bolus with 5 microg/kg/min infusion intraoperatively). Desflurane was administered for maintenance of anesthesia to target bispectral index scores (40-60) and hemodynamic parameters (heart rate and blood pressure < +/- 20% of baseline values). All parameters related to OIH and its attenuation induced by ketamine were investigated. RESULTS: There was no significant difference among the three groups related to demographic and anesthetic parameters except the end-tidal concentration of desflurane. Additional analgesic consumption, numerical rating scale scores at 6 and 24 h, and cumulative fentanyl dose were significantly higher in group RH than in the other two groups. The value difference of the Touch-Test sensory evaluation was significantly higher negative in group RH than in the other two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Remifentanil-induced hyperalgesia is significantly attenuated by intraoperative bolus and infusion of ketamine. Ketamine also decreased tactile sensitization, as measured by Touch-Test sensory evaluation.
Analgesics, Opioid ; Anesthesia ; Blood Pressure ; Central Nervous System Sensitization ; Female ; Fentanyl ; Gynecologic Surgical Procedures ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hyperalgesia* ; Ketamine*

BACKGROUND: Lumbar transforaminal epidural steroid injections (TFESIs) are performed to provide symptom relief in patients with radicular pain. Recent articles suggested that injected volume itself have analgesic effects and higher volumes are associated with better outcomes. To date, few studies have been conducted to investigate the effects of volume. Therefore, well-designed controlled studies were necessary to confirm the effect of volume itself on pain relief. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a forceful saline injection on lumbar TFESI using non-particulate steroids. METHODS: Fifty consecutive patients with lumbar radicular pain were enrolled. The participants were allocated into one of two groups: dexamethasone with volume (Group DV) and dexamethasone alone (Group DO). The volume was delivered by a forceful injection of 5ml of normal saline. The primary end-point for this study was a VAS pain score and modified MacNab score indicating the rate of effectiveness at the four-week follow-up. RESULTS: There were no significant post-procedural VAS differences between two groups (P = .252). The effectiveness rate among the patients was 47.8% in DV group, 34.8% in DO group, measured by modified MacNab score. The difference was not statistically significant (P = .117). CONCLUSIONS: A forceful saline injection did not have a significant effect during the treatment of radicular pain. Further studies with greater volumes and with additional techniques would offer a more conclusive perspective.
Dexamethasone ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Radiculopathy ; Steroids