A randomized,placebo controlled,trial of preoperative sustained release Betamethasone plus non-controlled intraoperative Ketorolac or Fentanyl on pain after diagnostic laparoscopy or laparoscopic tubal ligation [ISRCTN52633712

BACKGROUND: Gynecological laparoscopic surgery procedures are often complicated by postoperative pain resulting in an unpleasant experience for the patient, delayed discharge, and increased cost. Glucocorticosteroids have been suggested to reduce the severity and incidence of postoperative pain. METHODS: This study examines the efficacy of a sustained release betamethasone preparation to reduce postoperative pain and the requirement for pain relief drugs after either diagnostic laparoscopy or tubal ligation. Patients were recruited, as presenting, after obtaining informed consent. Prior to surgery, patients were randomly selected by a computer generated table to receive either pharmacy-coded betamethasone (12 mg IM Celestone trade mark ) or an optically identical placebo injection of Intralipid trade mark and isotonic saline mixture. The effect of non-controlled prophylactic intraoperative treatment with either fentanyl or ketorolac per surgeon's orders was also noted in this study. Blood samples taken at recovery and at discharge times were extracted and analyzed for circulating betamethasone. Visual analog scale data on pain was gathered at six post-recovery time points in a triple blind fashion and statistically compared. The postoperative requirement for pain relief drugs was also examined. RESULTS: Although the injection achieved a sustained therapeutic concentration, no beneficial effect of IM betamethasone on postoperative pain or reduction in pain relief drugs was observed during the postoperative period. Indeed, the mean combined pain scores during the 2 hour postoperative period, adjusted for postoperative opioids as the major confounding factor, were higher approaching statistical significance (P = 0.056) in the treatment group. Higher pain scores were also observed for the tubal ligation patients relative to diagnostic laparoscopy. Intraoperative fentanyl treatment did not significantly lower the average pain score during the 2 hour postoperative period. Intraoperative ketorolac treatment significantly lowered (P = 0.027) pain scores and reduced the postoperative requirement for additional pain relief drugs. CONCLUSIONS: There was a lack of efficacy of preoperative sustained release betamethasone in reducing postoperative pain despite maintaining a therapeutic concentration during the postoperative period. Intraoperative Ketorolac did afford some short-term pain relief in the postoperative period and reduced the need for additional pain relief drugs.     

Oral valdecoxib and injected parecoxib for acute postoperative pain: a quantitative systematic review

BACKGROUND: Clinical trials suggest that cyclo-oxygenase-2 specific inhibitors (coxibs) are an effective treatment for acute postoperative pain. The aims of this systematic review were to examine the evidence for oral valdecoxib and injected parecoxib, and quantify efficacy and adverse effects. METHODS: Information from randomized, double-blind studies in acute postoperative pain was sought. The area under the pain relief versus time curve over four to six hours was dichotomized using validated equations to derive the proportion of patients with treatment and placebo with at least 50% pain relief over four to six hours and calculate the number-needed-to-treat (NNT). Information on duration of analgesia and adverse events was also collected. RESULTS: The NNT for one patient to experience at least 50% relief over six hours following a single oral dose of valdecoxib 20 mg and 40 mg was 1.7 (1.4 to 2.0) and 1.6 (1.4 to 1.8) respectively. The NNT for one patient to have at least 50% relief over four to six hours with parecoxib 20 mg IV and 40 mg IV was 3.0 (2.3 to 4.1) and 2.3 (2.0 to 2.6) respectively. Mean time to remedication (weighted by trial size) was >24 hours with valdecoxib 40 mg, 8.7 hours with parecoxib 40 mg IV and 1.7 to 1.8 hours with placebo. There were no statistical differences between treatment and placebo for any adverse effect. CONCLUSION: Both oral valdecoxib and injected parecoxib are effective treatments for acute postoperative pain.     

Methoxyflurane and Nitrous Oxide as Obstetric Analgesics. I.—A Comparison by Continuous Administration

Methoxyflurane and nitrous oxide have been compared as obstetric analgesics. The inhaled concentrations of these agents, given continuously, were adjusted by an anaesthetist to maintain each patient at the optimum state between reaction to pain and consciousness. Assessments were made continuously.Though the anaesthetist''s assessment showed no difference between the mean results, a greater proportion of the methoxyflurane patients were “satisfactory” for 90–100% of the time than of the nitrous oxide patients, particularly in regard to objective pain relief. The midwives'' opinion of those who had “complete” pain relief supported this. Nausea was significantly less among methoxyflurane patients, and vomiting during labour occurred only in patients who had nitrous oxide. It is concluded that nitrous oxide and methoxyflurane given in a continuously adjusted concentration are almost equally effective as obstetric analgesics, though there are certain features which favour methoxyflurane.     

OVERCOMING BARRIERS TO PAIN RELIEF IN THE CARIBBEAN

This paper examines pain and pain relief in the Caribbean, where pain is widely perceived as an unavoidable part of life, and where unnecessary suffering results from untreated and under treated pain. Barriers to pain relief in the Caribbean include patient and family attitudes, inadequate knowledge among health professionals and unduly restrictive regulations on the medical use of opioids. Similar barriers exist all over the world. This paper urges medical, nursing and public health professionals, and educators to examine attitudes towards pain and pain relief and to work towards making effective pain relief and palliation more accessible. It recommends that i) health professionals and officials be better educated about pain, palliation and opioids, ii) regulatory restrictions be updated in light of clinical and scientific evidence, iii) opioid procurement policies be adjusted to facilitate increased medical use, iv) medical charts and records be modified to routinely elicit and document patients levels of pain, and v) educational campaigns be developed to inform the public that moderate and severe pain can be safely relieved at the end of life and other stages of life. The professional, respectful, and beneficent response to patients in pain is to provide rapid and aggressive pain relief or to urgently consult a pain or palliative specialist. When a health system hinders such efforts the ethical response is to identify, facilitate and advocate for overcoming barriers to improvement.     

Postoperative analgesia with controlled-release morphine sulphate: comparison with intramuscular morphine.

Fifty patients undergoing hysterectomy or cholecystectomy took part in a trail of postoperative analgesia provided by either intramuscular morphine or controlled-release morphine sulphate tablets orally. Respiratory function and plasma catecholamine concentrations were measured after operation and pain was assessed by using a linear analogue scoring method. Controlled-release morphine sulphate produced comparable pain relief with that of intramuscular morphine, and depression of respiratory function after operation was similar with the two analgesic regimens. The mean total dose of drug per patient given over 48 h to patients undergoing hysterectomy was 115 mg for morphine sulphate and 53 mg for morphine. Patients undergoing cholecystectomy received 130 mg morphine sulphate or 76 mg morphine. There was more sedation after operation in those patients undergoing hysterectomy who received morphine sulphate tablets. Morphine sulphate tablets produced satisfactory postoperative analgesia compared with intramuscular morphine: both regimens were acceptable to the patients.     

Dezocine for Preventing Postoperative Pain: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Background

Dezocine is considered to be an alternative medication for managing postoperative pain. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of this drug in this regard.

Methods

Medline, EMBASE and the Cochrane Central Register of Control Trials (CENTRAL) were searched to identify all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compare dezocine with placebo or dezocine with morphine on postoperative pain. The data were extracted and pooled using Mantel-Haenszel random effects model. Heterogeneity was tested using the I ² statistic with values >50% and Chi² test with P ≤ 0.05 indicating obvious heterogeneity between the studies.

Results

Seven trials evaluating 665 patients were included. The number of patients with at least 50% pain relief was increased (N = 234; RR 3.04, 95% CI 2.27 to 4.08) and physician (N = 465; RR 2.84, 95% CI 1.66 to 4.84) and patient satisfaction (N = 390; RR 2.81, 95% CI 1.85 to 4.26) were improved following the administration of dezocine compared with the placebo. The effects of dezocine were similar to those of morphine in terms of the number of patients reporting at least 50% pain relief within 2–6 h after surgery (N = 235; RR 1.29, 95% CI 1.15 to 1.46) and physician (N = 234; RR 1.18, 95% CI 0.93 to 1.49) and patient (N = 158; RR 1.33, 95% CI 0.93 to 1.92) satisfaction. While, the number of patients with at least 50% pain relief within 0–1 h after surgery increased following dezocine compared with morphine treatment (N = 79; RR 1.45, 95% CI 1.18 to 1.77). There was no difference in the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) following dezocine treatment compared with the placebo (N = 391; RR 1.06, 95% CI 0.42 to 2.68) or morphine treatment (N = 235; RR 0.65, 95% CI 0.14 to 2.93).

Conclusion

Dezocine is a promising analgesic for preventing postoperative pain, but further studies are required to evaluate its safety.     

多瑞吉在带状疱疹疼痛治疗阿片类药物转换中的应用

目的:探讨多瑞吉在带状疱疹疼痛治疗阿片类药物转换中的应用。方法:选择37例住院治疗的带状疱疹疼痛患者,年龄>45岁、VAS评分≥4分、所有病人常规抗病毒治疗、增加免疫力等常规治疗,予硬膜外腔置管间断注入消炎镇痛药物并持续泵吗啡,根据疼痛调整至止痛剂量,转换为多瑞吉贴剂后出院。疼痛控制后逐渐减药,每半个月减量半贴多瑞吉,对病人的疼痛评分、生活质量及并发症进行评估。结果:有1例病人应药物副反应出组,其余病人硬膜外泵吗啡后均在一周左右控制疼痛,等效转换为多瑞吉,定时定量减药,无疼痛反复,成瘾戒断等情况。结论:带状疱疹疼痛采用硬膜外间断注药持续泵吗啡迅速达到无痛后,转换为等效剂量的多瑞吉,定时定量减药,安全有效。     

剖宫产术后镇痛策略的研究进展

剖宫产术后疼痛会对产妇带来一系列不良影响。术后的急性疼痛会使产妇处于高水平的应激状态,增加术后并发症的发生率,不利于产妇的快速康复,并且可能导致慢性疼痛及产后抑郁的发生。良好的术后镇痛一方面可以消除体内的不良刺激,维持内环境的稳定,为机体康复提供有利条件,另一方面可以减轻产妇的心理负担,使其能尽早开始哺乳,并且更好的与新生儿互动。椎管内或静脉注射阿片类药物是目前常用的镇痛方法,但其不良反应较多,并且可以转移至母乳,对新生儿有潜在风险,因此,联合应用其他药物或手段进行多模式镇痛或许是更好的选择。本文对剖宫产术后镇痛药物及镇痛方式的研究进展进行综述,以期为剖宫产术后产妇提供高质量、个体化的镇痛有所帮助。     

全膝关节置换术后多模式镇痛中非选择与选择性COX-2抑制剂的对比应用研究

目的：评价全膝关节置换术后病人早期功能锻炼过程中应用选择性环氧化酶-2（COX-2）抑制剂帕瑞昔布钠与非选择性环氧化酶（COX）抑制剂氟比洛芬酯之间的镇痛效果是否存在差异,以及对早期功能锻炼结果的影响。方法：前瞻性、随机、双盲、平行对照研究,根据纳入/排除标准,连续选取2009年6月至2010年3月在我科行单侧人工全膝关节置换术的病人60名。手术均采用腰麻联合硬膜外阻滞麻醉,由同一组手术医师完成,术中假体安装前关节周围软组织注射＂鸡尾酒＂镇痛液（罗哌卡因注射液150mg＋肾上腺素（1：1000）0.5ml,由生理盐水稀释为100ml）。手术结束后进行病人自控静脉镇痛（PCIA）。术后当天患者在护士的指导下进行股四头肌收缩功能锻炼及直腿抬高功能锻炼。术后第一天起行膝关节被动伸屈功能锻炼（CPM）及主动伸屈功能锻炼。术后第3至5天患者停PCIA镇痛后,进行试验干预。帕瑞昔布钠组给予注射用帕瑞昔布钠40mg,静注1/12小时。氟比洛芬酯组给予氟比洛芬酯注射液100mg,静注1/12小时。观察病人术后第3至5天静息状态下和活动锻炼时膝关节最大主动屈曲时的疼痛强度（VAS评分）,手术侧膝关节的主动伸屈活动度及术后1月复查时的手术侧膝关节的主动伸屈活动度,KSS评分,术后第2天与第6天的血红蛋白值。结果：两组病人给药后在静息状态及膝关节最大主动屈曲时,在不同时间点的VAS评分、膝关节主动活动度及术后1月患者膝关节的主动活动度和KSS评分的差异均无统计学意义（P〉0.05）。应用抗凝治疗后,帕瑞昔布钠组患者血红蛋白下降值与氟比洛芬酯组存在差异（P=0.042）。结论：尚不能认为人工全膝关节置换术后多模式镇痛中同时抑制COX-1和COX-2与选择性抑制COX-2之间存在差异。但应用选择性COX-2抑制剂（帕瑞昔布钠）镇痛更安全,因其有利于减少全膝关节置换术后患者抗凝治疗过程中的隐性失血。     

The Hopkins experience with lesions of the dorsal horn (Nashold's operation) for pain from avulsion of the brachial plexus

Lesions of the dorsal horn (DREZ operation) have been reported to be useful in reducing pain secondary to avulsion of the brachial plexus. Ten patients had the DREZ operation for this condition at The Johns Hopkins Hospital by one of us (JNC) between 1981 and 1985. Radiofrequency heat lesions were made. The patients were interviewed 7-52 months after the operation by one of two individuals not involved in the procedure to assess pain relief and postoperative complications. The mean pain relief was 85%, and there were no significant complications. It is concluded that the DREZ operation is the treatment of choice for treatment of severe pain that results from avulsion of the brachial plexus.     

Single-dose oral naproxen for acute postoperative pain: a quantitative systematic review

BACKGROUND: Naproxen and naproxen sodium are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs used in a variety of painful conditions, including the treatment of postoperative pain. This review aims to assess the efficacy, safety and duration of action of a single oral dose of naproxen/naproxen sodium for moderate to severe acute postoperative pain in adults, compared with placebo. METHODS: The Cochrane Library (issue 4 2002), EMBASE, PubMed, MEDLINE and an in-house database were searched for randomised, double blind, placebo controlled trials of a single dose of orally administered naproxen or naproxen sodium in adults with acute postoperative pain. Pain relief or pain intensity data were extracted and converted into dichotomous information to give the number of patients with at least 50% pain relief over 4 to 6 hours. Relative benefit and number-needed-to-treat were then calculated. The percentage of patients with any adverse event, number-needed-to-harm, and time to remedication were also calculated. RESULTS: Ten trials with 996 patients in met the inclusion criteria. Six trials compared naproxen sodium 550 mg (252 patients) with placebo (248 patients); the NNT for at least 50% pain relief over six hours was 2.6 (95% confidence interval 2.2 to 3.2). There was no significant difference between the number of patients experiencing any adverse event on treatment compared with placebo. Weighted mean time to remedication was 7.6 hours for naproxen sodium 550 mg (206 patients) and 2.6 hours for placebo (205 patients). Four other trials used lower doses. CONCLUSION: A single oral dose of naproxen sodium 550 mg is an effective analgesic in the treatment of acute postoperative pain. A low incidence of adverse events was found, although these were not reported consistently.     

Pain Relief in Hospital: the More Widespread Use of Nitrous Oxide

A trial was conducted of Entonox for pain relief in minor, but painful, procedures which are conducted in wards, accident centres, and radiological units. The gas was self-administered by the patient using a demand apparatus. The administration was supervised by qualified nurses, specially trained in the properties of Entonox and the inhalational unit. The results confirm that the gas is safe in the hands of these personnel. Gratifying pain relief occurred in most patients with almost complete freedom from undesirable side effects. It is suggested that patient comfort in hospital can be considerably improved by utilizing this method of analgesia to the full.     

MEG can map short and long-term changes in brain activity following deep brain stimulation for chronic pain

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has been shown to be clinically effective for some forms of treatment-resistant chronic pain, but the precise mechanisms of action are not well understood. Here, we present an analysis of magnetoencephalography (MEG) data from a patient with whole-body chronic pain, in order to investigate changes in neural activity induced by DBS for pain relief over both short- and long-term. This patient is one of the few cases treated using DBS of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). We demonstrate that a novel method, null-beamforming, can be used to localise accurately brain activity despite the artefacts caused by the presence of DBS electrodes and stimulus pulses. The accuracy of our source localisation was verified by correlating the predicted DBS electrode positions with their actual positions. Using this beamforming method, we examined changes in whole-brain activity comparing pain relief achieved with deep brain stimulation (DBS ON) and compared with pain experienced with no stimulation (DBS OFF). We found significant changes in activity in pain-related regions including the pre-supplementary motor area, brainstem (periaqueductal gray) and dissociable parts of caudal and rostral ACC. In particular, when the patient reported experiencing pain, there was increased activity in different regions of ACC compared to when he experienced pain relief. We were also able to demonstrate long-term functional brain changes as a result of continuous DBS over one year, leading to specific changes in the activity in dissociable regions of caudal and rostral ACC. These results broaden our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of DBS in the human brain.     

Peripheral regional analgesia with femoral catheter versus intravenous patient controlled analgesia after total knee arthroplasty: a prospective randomized study

The aim of this study is to compare the effects of femoral analgesia (FA) with 0.25% levobupivacain and intravenous patient controlled analgesia (PCA) with morphine on postoperative pain assessed by a visual-analog scale (VAS) score and their complications during the first 24 postoperative hours after the a total knee arthroplasty in a prospective randomized study. Secondary outcomes included: morphine use, patient satisfaction, complication of analgesia and duration of hospital stay. We analyzed 71 patients with an ASA score of II or III. The patients were randomized into two groups: group PCA (n = 36) was given the PCA pump, which contained morphine; and group FA (n = 35) was given first a bolus dose, then a continuous infusion 0.25% levobupivacain via a femoral catheter. The assessment of VAS was performed every 2 hours. There were no differences between the PCA and FA groups regarding demographic characteristics, operation duration, ASA score distribution, duration of hospital stay and satisfaction with analgesia (although there were more satisfied patients in the FA group). Significant differences were noted in the quantity of morphine used (higher values were in the PCA group; p < 0.001). More complications were recorded in PCA group (p < 0.001). The VAS score was lower in the FA group (p < 0.001). The highest difference occurred 4 hours after the operation, with the PCA group having significantly higher VAS score values compared to the FA group. Femoral analgesia leads to a stronger pain relief with less side effects, less morphine use and more patient satisfaction than intravenous PCA with morphine.     

Outcome following implantation of a peripheral nerve stimulator in patients with chronic nerve pain

This study evaluated the usefulness of the implanted peripheral nerve stimulator in patients with pain following injury to a peripheral nerve. The patient sample (n = 17) consisted of 7 men and 10 women with a mean age of 48 years (SD = 18 years). The mean follow-up time since implantation of the stimulator was 21 months (SD = 15 months). Workers' compensation and/or litigation were involved in 11 cases. Peripheral nerve stimulators were placed in the upper extremity in 12 patients and in the lower extremity in 5 patients. Pain relief following implantation was rated as excellent by five patients, good by six patients, fair by four patients, and poor by two patients. A statistically significant decrease in reported pain level was found postoperatively (p < 0.0003). There was no statistically significant difference in postoperative pain level between men and women (p = 0.30), between cases involving workers' compensation or litigation and those not involving these issues (p = 1.0), or between patients who received an upper-extremity implant and those who received a lower-extremity implant (p = 0.56). Of the 12 patients who were unable to work before the operation, 6 returned to work after the operation. In conclusion, peripheral nerve stimulators can be useful in decreasing pain in carefully selected patients with severe neurogenic pain.     

Individual patient meta-analysis of single-dose rofecoxib in postoperative pain

BACKGROUND: Individual patient meta-analysis to determine the analgesic efficacy and adverse effects of single-dose rofecoxib in acute postoperative pain. METHODS: Individual patient information was available from 14 trials; 13 in dental and one in postsurgical pain. For each patient the percentage of maximum possible pain relief (%maxTOTPAR) was determined at different time points. The proportion of patients with at least 50% maxTOTPAR, and number-needed-to-treat (NNT) for at least 50% maxTOTPAR, were then calculated, with time when 50% of patients had remedicated (TTR50) and number-needed-to-harm (NNH) for adverse effects. RESULTS: In dental pain, for rofecoxib 50 mg (1330 patients) compared with placebo (570 patients) the NNT was 1.9 (95% confidence interval 1.8 to 2.1) for six hours, 2.0 (1.8 to 2.1) at eight, 2.4 (2.2 to 2.6) at 12, and 2.8 (2.5 to 3.1) at 24 hours. The TTR50 was 15.5 hours. Adverse effects were uncommon, though post-extraction alveolitis (dry socket) occurred more often with rofecoxib 50 mg than with placebo, NNH 24 (14 to 80). For postsurgical pain in one trial (163 patients), the NNT for rofecoxib 50 mg for six hours was 3.9 (2.6 to 7.8), the TTR50 was 5.8 hours, and multiple-dose adverse effects over five days occurred at similar rates with rofecoxib 50 mg and placebo. CONCLUSIONS: Single-dose rofecoxib 50 mg is an effective treatment with long-lasting analgesia and few adverse effects in dental pain. More information is required to confirm efficacy in postsurgical pain.     

Relief of pain by infusion of morphine after operation: does tolerance develop?

To see whether continuous intravenous infusion of opiates provides more effective postoperative relief of pain than conventional intramuscular injection these regimens were compared in a prospective double blind trial. Thirty patients undergoing elective cholecystectomy were allocated randomly to receive an infusion of morphine or an infusion of placebo (control group) for 24 hours. Both groups were allowed supplementary morphine boluses as requested. During the first 48 hours after operation the degree of pain was almost identical between the groups. Surprisingly, the group that was given the infusion of morphine received as much supplementary morphine as the control group during the first 24 hours and appreciably more during the 24 hours after the infusion had been withdrawn. Nausea and vomiting were more prevalent among the patients given the infusion of morphine. These results suggest that continuous infusion of morphine may be an inferior regimen to intermittent bolus administration in the relief of postoperative pain. This may be explained by the development of tolerance in patients who received the infusion of morphine.     

Current methods of controlling post-operative pain.

Until recently, the clinical significance of post-surgical pain and its undertreatment were for the most part unappreciated. Recognition that inadequate analgesia adversely affects the patient's cardiovascular, pulmonary, and emotional status has spurred development of new and highly effective methods of controlling pain. With the introduction of spinal opioid and patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) came the realization that, while such forms of therapy provided superior pain relief, they were not without their own unique and occasionally serious side effects. For this reason, both techniques are more safely provided by highly trained members of a dedicated acute/post-surgical pain service. Although spinal opioid (epidural, intrathecal) techniques are invasive and require patient cooperation, they have a high degree of safety in low-risk populations (ASA 1 and 2). The major therapeutic advantage of spinal opioids is their ability to prevent pain from being perceived. PCA permits patients to titrate intravenous opioids in proportion to their particular level of pain intensity. Although PCA provides effective pain "relief," the technique is incapable of preventing pain from being appreciated. A number of studies have observed that pain scores in patients successfully employing PCA were significantly higher than those noted in individuals treated with epidural opioids. Nevertheless, the control gained by self-administration, uniformity of analgesia, and low level of adverse results associated with PCA provides higher patient satisfaction and decreased sedation when compared with traditional intramuscular dosing. The effectiveness of PCA may be improved by adjusting for patient variables, utilizing opioids having rapid onset, the addition of a basal infusion, and supplementation with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents. Interpleural analgesia represents an important therapeutic option in patients sensitive to opioid-induced respiratory depression. The technique is more effective when local anesthetic solutions are continually infused. Analgesic efficacy may be further enhanced by the addition of "low-dose" PCA.     

Treatment of phantom limb pain with combined EMG and thermal biofeedback: a case report

Phantom pain is a frequent consequence of the amputation of an extremity and causes considerable discomfort and disruption of daily activities. This study describes a patient with extreme phantom limb pain following amputation of the right upper limb. The treatment consisted of 6 sessions of EMG biofeedback followed by 6 sessions of temperature biofeedback. The patient did not use a prosthesis and had not received previous treatment for chronic pain. Results demonstrated complete elimination of phantom limb pain after treatment, which was maintained at a 3- and 12-month follow-up. Pain relief covaried with increase in skin temperature at stump and perceptual telescoping (retraction of phantom limb into stump).