Anesthesiology News RSS Subscription Channel - Pain Medicinehttp://www.AnesthesiologyNews.com/descriptionen-usCombo Drug Effective for Neuropathic Painhttp://www.anesthesiologynews.com/index.asp?srv=rss&section_id=2&show=dept&article_id=14431Fri, 6 Jan 2010The results of a randomized, double-blind, open-label, crossover trial suggest the combination of the tricyclic antidepressant nortriptyline and the antiepileptic agent gabapentin reduces neuropathic pain significantly more than does either medication alone.Placebo Effect Seen With Propofol Infusion for Headachehttp://www.anesthesiologynews.com/index.asp?srv=rss&section_id=2&show=dept&article_id=14432Fri, 6 Jan 2010The efficacy of propofol in treating headache may be partially due to a placebo phenomenon, at least in some patients, according to new case-study results.Hernia Study Finds Four Factors for Persistent Post–op Painhttp://www.anesthesiologynews.com/index.asp?srv=rss&section_id=2&show=dept&article_id=14430Thu, 5 Jan 2010A Danish-German research team has found four independent factors for the pain-related impairment of everyday activities after herniotomy: preoperative Activities Assessment Scale (AAS) score, preoperative pain response to a heat stimulus of 47 C, pain intensity 30 days after surgery and impairment of sensory function six months after the procedure.Federal Audit Sees Sharp Rise in Transforaminal Injectionshttp://www.anesthesiologynews.com/index.asp?srv=rss&section_id=2&show=dept&article_id=14429Tue, 3 Jan 2010Following a 2008 investigation into improper and excessive payments for facet joint injections, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has begun auditing physician reimbursements for transforaminal epidural injections, seeking to determine if the services are “reasonable and necessary” and whether adequate policies and safeguards are in place to prevent “inappropriate payments.”BMP Use in Spinal Fusions Increased Greatly Since 2002http://www.anesthesiologynews.com/index.asp?srv=rss&section_id=2&show=dept&article_id=14301Tue, 3 Dec 2009The use of bone morphogenetic proteins in spinal fusion procedures has increased dramatically, rising by 25% nationwide from 2002 to 2006, according to a large retrospective study of patterns of care in the United States.SCS Potentially Helpful for Failed Back Surgery Syndromehttp://www.anesthesiologynews.com/index.asp?srv=rss&section_id=2&show=dept&article_id=14300Mon, 2 Dec 2009New data show that spinal cord stimulation can significantly alleviate the pain experienced by patients with failed back surgery syndrome.Pain Pump Devices Fall Short for Ventral Hernia Repair Reliefhttp://www.anesthesiologynews.com/index.asp?srv=rss&section_id=2&show=dept&article_id=14299Fri, 6 Dec 2009Elastomeric pain pump devices do not reduce postoperative pain after laparoscopic ventral hernia repair, according to results from a recent study.Anesthetic Discography Outperforms Standard Discogram, Study Sayshttp://www.anesthesiologynews.com/index.asp?srv=rss&section_id=2&show=dept&article_id=14298Thu, 5 Dec 2009A recent study has demonstrated the benefits of using injected anesthetic to refine provocative diagnostic discography in patients with low back pain.NIH Launches Study Of Experimental Pain Drughttp://www.anesthesiologynews.com/index.asp?srv=rss&section_id=2&show=dept&article_id=14293Mon, 2 Dec 2009After months of waiting, government researchers have begun a study in patients with terminal cancer of a drug that could revolutionize the treatment of severe chronic pain.Practical Changes Reduce PCA Pump Programming Errorshttp://www.anesthesiologynews.com/index.asp?srv=rss&section_id=2&show=dept&article_id=14158Thu, 5 Nov 2009A simple, yet effective, model for minimizing programming errors in patient-controlled analgesia pumps can reduce the incidence of such errors to almost nil, according to a new study.