Reirradiation with local-field radiotherapy for painful bone metastases.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate retrospectively the effectiveness, prognostic factors, and sequelae of the first course of local-field reirradiation for painful bone metastases. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From 1994 to 2000, a total of 30 patients were reirradiated for painful bone metastases. The most commonly used initial treatment regimen was 30 Gy/10 Fr/2 wk. An additional dose in the range from 10 Gy/5 Fr to 26 Gy/13 Fr was reirradiated. RESULTS: Fifteen patients (50%) showed some type of pain relief after reirradiation. Patients with initial CR were more likely to respond than those with previous PR (100% vs. 41%). The median duration of pain relief was five months. The duration of response was longer in initial CR than initial PR. The median survival time of responders after retreatment was 11 months. No patient developed radiation myelopathy. Prognostic factors for pain relief were duration from initial treatment, performance status (PS), and status of bone metastases. CONCLUSION: Reirradiation for patients with a long duration from initial treatment (> or = 4 months), good PS (ECOG: 1-2), or solitary bone metastases was effective for pain relief. The appropriate indications, optimal dose, fractions, and technique for reirradiation to painful bone metastases should be further explored in randomized study.

Obstetric pain relief in a district hospital. The provision of a limited epidural service.

The effectiveness of the various methods used to provide obstetric pain relief in a District General Hospital was assessed. More than 70% of mothers were generally satisfied with the pain relief they received, but the majority would, in retrospect, have liked some additional analgesia at some stage. Seventeen per cent would have liked an epidural. Neither the social group of the mothers nor their duration of residence in the area of the hospital affected the demand for additional pain relief. The demand for epidurals was greater in social groups I and II. The effect of the obstetric pain relief service on the workload of available trained staff was assessed: most of the demands were made between the hours of 0900 and 2100 hours.

Percutaneous stereotactic radiofrequency thermal rhizotomy for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia.

BACKGROUND: Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is the most common cephalic neuralgia in people over the age of fifty, with a mean incidence of 4 per 100,000. Percutaneous stereotactic differential radiofrequency thermal rhizotomy (RTR) is a well-recognized surgical treatment for TN. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a management algorithm for TN and to evaluate the effectiveness of RTR for TN after failure of pharmacologic management. METHODS: Two hundred and fifty-eight (258) patients underwent RTR from 1992-1996 and were prospectively evaluated. These patients were characterized by age, sex, side of the face and division(s) involved. Patients were evaluated for pain relief, recurrence requiring or not requiring re-operation, and the type and rate of complications. They were followed by serial clinical evaluation and telephone interview. Patients were grouped according to results: (A) Successful Result--excellent or good pain relief; (B) Unsuccessful Result--fair, poor or no pain relief. The RTR group was compared to historical controls. Follow-up ranged from 12-80 months (mean = 38 months). RESULTS: At early follow-up (defined as median postoperative period up to 6 months), pain relief that was excellent or good (successful results) occurred in 224/258 (87%). At long-term follow-up (> 6 months) recurrence of tic pain required re-operation in 31 patients (12%). In 37 patients (14%), recurrence of tic pain did not require re-operation. Dysesthesia developed in 20 patients (8%); corneal analgesia developed in 8 patients (3%). "Anesthesia dolorosa" developed in 5 patients (2%) and was medically managed. At the conclusion of the long-term follow-up period, 214/258 patients (83%) had excellent to good pain relief (successful result). There were no mortalities, no significant morbidity and a low rate of minor complications. CONCLUSION: With the use of this specific diagnostic and management algorithm, patients with TN can be successfully managed with RTR.

Motor cortex stimulation as treatment of trigeminal neuropathic pain.

A report is given on first experiences with motor cortex stimulation in 10 patients with different forms of neuropathic pain. Three of them had central pain as sequelae of cerebrovascular disease. In none of them did the stimulation provide pain relief. Two patients had pain from peripheral nerve injuries. One did not respond, but the other obtained about 50% pain relief. The remaining 5 patients with trigeminal neuropathy experienced definite pain relief varying between 60 and 90%. During test stimulation most patients had one or two short-lasting generalized seizures. But no one had any motor effects after permanent implantation. Motor cortex stimulation appears to be a new and promising possibility of pain treatment, especially in cases with trigeminal neuropathy, but many problems have yet to be solved, before a clear indication could be given.

Postoperative pain relief by continuous epidural infusion of bupivacaine and buprenorphine

Continuous postoperative pain relief produced by epidural block with bupivacaine and buprenorphine was evaluated in 12 patients after thoracotomy, 19 patients after upper abdominal surgery, and 14 patients after lower abdominal surgery. Patients initially received 8 ml of 0.25% bupivacaine and 0.1 mg of buprenorphine at recovery room in operating theater and continuously received the mixture of 0.25% bupivacaine and 5 micrograms.ml-1 buprenorphine at a rate of 1 ml.h-1 using a portable pump. About fifty percent of the patients did not need additional narcotics during 48 postoperative hours. About ninety percent of the patients needed one additional narcotics during 48 postoperative hours. The authors conclude that epidural analgesia with the mixture of bupivacaine and buprenorphine produces satisfactory postoperative pain relief.

Intracranial stimulation for the control of chronic pain.

Long-term stimulation of deep brain structures for pain relief has been efficacious in a significant number of patients who have been total failures at every other means of pain control. Two primary sites are used at this time--the periventricular grey area, which is related to the endogenous opiate system, and the internal capsule system, which is related to the dorsal column projection system. Periventricular sites are more efficacious for externally generated pain, that is, pain with input through the dorsal horn. Internal capsule stimulation is more efficacious for central nervous system-generated pain. While the preoperative preparation and intraoperative testing as well as postoperative testing of these patients requires a great deal of time and tedious attention to detail, our long-term results have been excellent using a combined comprehensive pain unit approach to pain and stress management, plus the stimulation techniques in carefully selected patients. Our results would indicate that initially 80-85% of patients get good pain relief, and then that range decreases to between 50 and 60% over a long period of time. Deep brain stimulation for pain relief is not a technique that should be used on a large number of patients with simple pain problems, but is highly efficacious in a selected group of patients with very specific pain problems that do not respond to usual pain treatment techniques. In patients with pain generated by benign etiologies, it is far superior to destructive procedures and does not have the secondary side effects of sensory loss, postchordotomy dysesthesias, or secondary neurological deficits.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Retrospective investigation of intermittent bolus intrathecal morphine for cancer pain patients.

One hundred patients with intolerable cancer pain were treated with intrathecal bolus injections of morphine(IT morphine). The study began 2 days later after port-A cath implantation and continued during the 12 weeks follow-up period. During the investigation, the dosages, pain intensity, side effects, complications, activity and acceptibility were recorded. Initially, the morphine test does(0.2mg) resulted in pain relief for 8-26 hrs (mean 13.4 hrs). Then, changing the morphine dosages or frequency of injections were relied upon the effect of the opiate to provide 24 hrs pain relief. The mean morphine requirements were 0.32mg in 1st week, 0.44mg in 4th week, 1.25mg in 8th week and 1.43mg in 12th week. The mean morphine dose before IT treatment was 36.4mg. The vast majority of patients' pain intensity decreased prominently after IT morphine treatment. But pain was aggravated in the 12th week although the morphine dose increased. Side effects were minimal, and only one patient suffered from meningitis. Complications included 8 patients with port-A system dysfunction, one with anterior spinal artery syndrome, and one case of cauda equina syndrome. Activity improved significantly and all patients accepted the kind of treatment though some patients did not experience completely satisfactory relief from pain. Intrathecal morphine therapy uses only small amounts of opiate to achieve the optimal level of pain relief. So it offers a beneficial treatment option to patients whose pain has become intolerable or who have poor responsiveness to systemic narcotics.

Percutaneous stereotactic differential radiofrequency thermal rhizotomy for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of radiofrequency thermal rhizotomy (RTR) for trigeminal neuralgia, after failure of pharmacological management. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Two hundred fifteen patients underwent RTR from 1991 to 1996 and were prospectively evaluated. These patients were characterized by age, sex, side of the face, and division(s) involved. Patients were evaluated for pain relief, recurrence requiring or not requiring reoperation, and the type and rate of complications. They were followed-up by serial clinical evaluation and telephone interview. Patients were categorized into groups: 1) Successful result: excellent, good pain relief; and 2) Unsuccessful result: fair, poor, or no pain relief. The RTR group was compared with historical controls. Follow-up ranged from 9 to 68 months (mean, 32 months) and results were evaluated at early and long-term follow-up. RESULTS: At early follow-up (defined as immediately postoperatively to 6 months), pain relief of excellent or good quality (successful result) occurred in 198 of 215 patients (92%). Fair or poor or no pain relief (unsuccessful result) occurred in 17 (8%) patients. At long-term follow-up (>6 months to 68 months), recurrence of pain that required reoperation occurred in 24 patients (11%) and recurrence of pain that did not require reoperation (medically managed) occurred in 34 patients (16%). Dysesthesia developed in 18 patients (8%); seven patients (3%) had dysesthesia alone (medically managed) and 11 patients (5%) had dysesthesia with recurrence of pain (medically or surgically managed). "Anesthesia/analgesia dolorosa" developed in four patients (1.8%) and was medically managed. At long-term follow-up, 83% of patients had good to excellent pain relief (successful result). There were no mortalities, no significant morbidity, and a low rate of minor complications. CONCLUSION: With the use of this specific diagnostic approach and management algorithm, patients with trigeminal neuralgia can be successfully managed.

Spinal cord stimulation in critical limb ischemia of the lower extremities: our experience.

BACKGROUND: Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) improves microcirculatory blood flow, relieves ischemic pain and reduces amputation rate in patients with severe peripheral arterial occlusive disease. Aim: To evaluate the specific prognostic parameters in the prediction of successful SCS and to perform a retrospective data analysis obtained during our patient follow-up. METHODS: 150 patients (97 men, 53 women; mean age: 68 years; range: 46-81) were submitted to implantation of a spinal cord electrical generator for rest pain, and trophic lesions with dry gangrene in severe lower limb ischemia, after failed conservative or surgical treatment. The clinical status was classified as Fontaine's stage III and IV and the main pathology was essentially due to atherosclerosis and diabetic vascular disease. In clinical controls, pedal transcutaneous oxygen tension (TcPO2), ankle and toe pressure Doppler measurements were utilised to select and follow-up the patients. RESULTS: After a mean follow-up of 71 months (range 24-138), pain relief >75% and limb salvage was achieved in 85 patients. In 28 patients was obtained a partial success with pain relief >50% and limb salvage for at least 6 months, while in 37 patients the method failed or for technical problems the device was removed, and the patients were amputated. TcPO2 was assessed on the dorsum of the foot. Clinical improvement and SCS success was associated with the increasing of TcPO2, before and after implantation (temporary period). Limb salvage was achieved in the patients that presented significant TcPO2 changes within the first 2 weeks of the testing period, indifferent from the stage of the disease, and from the initial TcPO2 value. After long-term patient follow-up TcPO2 changes, from 22.6 to 43.1 mm Hg in these with rest pain (p<0.01), from 16.2 to 36.1 mmHg (p<0.02) in those with trophic lesions <3 cm2, and from 12.4 to 28.1 in the patients with trophic lesions >3 cm2. A TcPO2 increase of more than 50% in the first 2 months after implantation was predictive of success, and was related with the presence of adequate paresthesias in the painful area during the trial period. The systolic ankle/brachial blood pressure index did not change under stimulation. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with failed conservative and surgical treatment for severe critical lower limb ischemia, the SCS increases the skin blood flow, is associated with a significant pain relief and could be proven an excellent alternative therapy that improves the quality of life. TcPO2 changes, within a test period of 2 weeks, is a predictive index of therapy success and should be considered before the final decision in terms of cost effect, for the permanent implantation.

Ventilatory response to intractable pain.

Fifty-two patients, admitted to a pain relief unit, had a cannula placed in the radial artery to measure the paO2, paCO2 and pH of arterial blood every 2 h, for periods ranging from 12 to 24 h. The patients were divided into 3 groups: 14 had low back pain, 21 patients had pain from cancer, and 17 had pain from other causes. Twenty were male and 32 were female with a mean age of 53 years (range 16-82 years). The mean paO2 of these groups was within normal limits. The mean paCO2 and pH for the 3 groups were, low back pain paCO2 4.1 kpa, pH 7.42, others, paCO2 4.2 kpa, pH 7.42. The finding of a normal pH associated with a low paCO2 suggests that patients were "reset" to a low paCO2. Treatment, which was most commonly nerve blocks, resulted in marked pain relief in 30 patients. Ten of these patients were available for follow-up at least 1 week later (4 from the low back pain group, 6 from the cancer group), and in every patient, after pain relief, there was a rise in paCO2 which was statistically significant (P less than 0.001) and was not accompanied by a fall in pH. This suggests that intractable pain is accompanied by chronic hyperventilation and that the relief of pain is accompanied by a decrease in ventilation.