Ultrasound-guided interfascial blocks of the trapezius muscle for cervicogenic headache.

OBJECTIVES: Disorders in the cervical muscles, such as myofascial trigger points and tightness, are common factors in patients with cervicogenic headache (CEH). We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of ultrasound-guided interfascial blocks of the trapezius muscle in patients with CEH who showed tenderness in the upper cervical muscle groups. METHODS: A total of 23 patients were evaluated in the prospective observational trial. The injection was performed between the trapezius muscle and levator scapula muscle fascia with a disposable 25-gauge, 10-cm Quincke-tip spinal needle. 10 mL of 0.125% bupivacaine was injected between the muscle fascia. Numeric rating scale (NRS), neck disability index (NDI), pain frequency, and analgesic consumption in the pre-treatment and post-treatment period were evaluated. RESULTS: The NRS scores at 10 min, 1 week, 2 weeks, and 4 weeks after treatment were significantly better than the pre-treatment NRS score. The NDI scores at 1, 2, and 4 weeks after treatment were significantly better than the pre-treatment NDI score. The pain frequency at 1 and 2 weeks after treatment was significantly lower than that recorded in the pre-treatment period. Statistically significant reductions were observed in analgesic consumption at 1, 2, and 4 weeks after treatment, in comparison with consumption in the pre-treatment period. CONCLUSION: We suggest that an ultrasound-guided interfascial block of the trapezius muscle is effective for the treatment of CEH caused by muscle disorders.

Results of ultrasound-guided interfascial block of the trapezius muscle for myofascial pain.

OBJECTIVES: Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is a regional pain syndrome that causes pain due to hyperirritable trigger points in the musculoskeletal system. Trapezius is one of the most commonly affected muscles in MPS. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of an ultrasound-guided interfascial block of the trapezius muscle in patients with MPS. METHODS: The records of patients who underwent an ultrasound-guided interfascial block of the trapezius between November 2019 and October 2020 were retrospectively examined. The pain levels of the patients were evaluated with the numeric rating scale (NRS). Patients with a reduction in pain ≥50% after the procedure were considered to have benefited from the procedure. RESULTS: A total of 54 patients (41 women and 13 men) were evaluated. The mean NRS values of the patients were 7.16 (5-9) before the procedure, 3.31 (0-8) 10 min after the procedure, and 3.37 (0-8) 1 week after the procedure. The number of patients who benefited from the procedure was 40 (74.07%) 10 min after the procedure. The number of patients who benefited from the procedure for up to 1 week, 1-2 weeks, 2 weeks-1 month, 1-3 months, and more than 3 months after the procedure was 38 (70.37%), 36 (66.66%), 31 (57.40%), 26 (48.14%), and 17 (31.48%), respectively. CONCLUSION: Pain relief lasting for months was achieved in most of the patients. We believe that ultrasound-guided interfascial block of the trapezius is effective for the treatment of MPS.

Ultrasound-guided interfascial blocks of the trapezius muscle for cervicogenic headache: A report of two cases.

Cervicogenic headache (CEH) is a headache arising from cervical nociceptive structures such as facet joints, disci intervertebrales, muscles and ligaments. Myofascial trigger points (TrPs) are common factors in patients with CEH and contribute to the pain and disability. In this report, we present two patients with CEH who had TrPs in their upper trapezius muscles. Each patient received an ultrasound-guided interfascial block of the trapezius muscle. Case 1 A 79-year-old female patient presented with a complaint of headache due to trigger point in her upper trapezius muscle. Her Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) score for pain intensity was 10. We performed an ultrasound-guided interfascial block of the trapezius muscle. Her NRS score at 30 minutes after the procedure was 2. The patient was pain free during the two months follow-up period. Case 2 A 55-year-old female patient presented with a complaint of headache due to trigger point in her upper trapezius muscle. Her Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) score for pain intensity was 8. We performed an ultrasound-guided interfascial block of the trapezius muscle. Her NRS score at 30 minutes after procedure was 3. The patient was pain free during the two weeks follow-up period. The structure of the fascia can ease diffusion of an injected anaesthetic during diagnostic and therapeutic blocks, and interfascial injections are becoming more common. We suggest that this treatment may produce positive effects for patients with CEH caused by trigger points.

An Operator's Experience of the Loss-of-Resistance Technique in Epidural Injections: An Observational Study.

OBJECTIVE: A successful interlaminar epidural injection relies on correct epidural space needle placement. Most interlaminar epidural steroid injection (ESI) procedures are performed with a blind technique known as loss-of-resistance (LOR) without an imaging guide. This study aims to evaluate the success rate of the LOR technique in interlaminar epidural steroid injection under fluoroscopic control. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients who underwent interlaminar ESI owing to a history of at least 3 months of chronic low back and leg pain not responding to medications and physical therapies were included in an observational trial. Participants' age was between 27 and 88 years, and they had an American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status of I-III. The patients were placed in a prone position, and a Tuohy needle was introduced at the level of the L5-S1 interlaminar foramen using fluoroscopic image with an anteroposterior view. A lateral view was obtained when the LOR was felt. The procedures that achieved epidural spread by contrast agent in the first attempt were deemed successful. Those that did not and those that had false positive LOR were regarded as unsuccessful. RESULTS: Interlaminar ESI was administered to 150 patients. The procedure's success and failure rates were 76% (114 patients) and 24% (36 patients), respectively. A total of 58.3% (21 patients) of patients who underwent an unsuccessful procedure had a false LOR, whereas 41.6% (15 patients) of the same group exhibited other causes. Sex, age, and body mass index (BMI) showed no statistical significance in terms of procedural success. There were statistically significant differences in the distance between the skin and the epidural space according to the body mass index groups. CONCLUSION: The LOR technique identified the epidural space in most epidural procedures. However, in some cases, LOR was shown to be inadequate. Therefore, we suggest that the LOR technique must be supported by imaging such as fluoroscopy during epidural injections.

Distal approach for percutaneous radiofrequency thermocoagulation of lumbar medial branches in patients with lumbar facet arthropathy: A retrospective analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Lumbar facet (zygapophysial) arthropathy is a common cause of chronic lower back pain, and percutaneous radiofrequency denervation of the facet joints appears to be an effective treatment that yields long-term improvement. A technique utilising a distal approach to place the needle parallel to the medial branch has recently come into common use. In the present study, a technique incorporating a distal approach and an A-P fluoroscopic view was investigated. METHODS: In this study, clinical charts of 164 patients with lumbar facet syndrome who had undergone RFTC (radiofrequency thermocoagulation) of facet-joint medial branches were retrospectively evaluated. The success rate of percutaneous radiofrequency thermocoagulation of facet-joint medial branches performed utilising a distal approach with an A-P view was evaluated. NRS (numeric rank score) pain scores and subjective patient-reported global responses were measured. RESULTS: Of the patients, responses were rated as excellent by 46 (28.0%), good by 67 (40.8%), fair by 21 (12.8%) and poor by 30 (18.2%). The median duration of pain relief was 7.3 months. In the 113 patients who reported excellent or good responses, the median duration of pain relief was 10.2 months. CONCLUSION: Radiofrequency thermocoagulation for facet arthropathy is a safe and effective treatment option that is well-tolerated. We suggest that a distal approach with an A-P view for facet radiofrequency thermocoagulation is a viable alternative to other approaches.

Transforaminal epidural steroid injection and infraneural approach.

Transforaminal epidural steroid injections are a common intervention in the treatment of radicular pain. Complications are rare, but can be catastrophic. One of the potentially devastating complications is occlusion of the artery of Adamkiewicz (AKA). This report is a description of an approach to avoid the complication of injury to the AKA related to transforaminal epidural injection. A 71-year-old male patient presented at the clinic with radiculopathy secondary to lumbar disc hernia. A transforaminal epidural steroid injection was planned. After a radiocontrast injection, vascular filling was detected. The needle was repositioned and an inferior entrance to the epidural space was used. No vascularity was seen and dexamethasone was administered to the patient. A transforaminal epidural steroid injection is an effective interventional treatment for radicular pain, but it requires careful attention due to the possible complications. The AKA was located in the upper half of the foramen. Keeping the wide variation in the anatomy of the AKA in mind is very important in order to prevent spinal cord ischemia.

Radiofrequency thermocoagulation combined with pulsed radiofrequency for gasserian ganglion blockage.

OBJECTIVES: Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) has been effectively treated by radiofrequency thermocoagulation (RFT) of the gasserian ganglion. Recently, pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) is becoming an alternative therapy for patients with trigeminal neuralgia. It is unclear whether the combination of RFT with PRF may decrease post-operative complications while maintaining longterm pain relief. METHODS: Twelve patients with idiopathic TN who had undergone combined RFT and PRF of the gasserian ganglion were evaluated. PRF (42 °C, 45V, 20 ms, 120 seconds) was administered, and then RFT (65 °C, 90 seconds) was performed to the gasserian ganglion. The post-operative pain relief and complications were evaluated at 1, 6, 12 and, 24 months after treatment. RESULTS: 10 patients (83.3%) reported significant pain relief (VAS 3) at 1 month following the treatment, while 8 patients (66.6%) at 6 months, 5 patients (41.6) at 12 months, and 2 patients (16.6%) at 24 months were pain-free. Two of the patients did not have pain relief (VAS ≥3), and 2 patients were still pain-free by the 24th month. The mean time of pain relief was 14 months. One patient had numbness in the tongue for about a year, while in the other patients, no serious complications were reported. CONCLUSION: A combination of RFT with PRF could help eliminate postoperative complications of trigeminal neuralgia. We sugesst that combining RFT and PRF therapy may serve to decrease the side effects but not increase the pain relief.

The effects of preadministration of local anesthetic on pulsed radiofrequency

Background/aim: Pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) has been reported to be a safe and reliable method for the management of a variety of chronic pain syndromes. It is not known whether the preadministration of local anesthetic increases the size of the electrical field. We revealed the effects of administering local anesthetic on PRF and investigated whether they were related to local anesthetic or fluid effects. Materials and methods: Group 1 (n = 18) received PRF to the suprascapular nerve with 1 mL of bupivacaine, group 2 (n = 20) received PRF with 1 mL of physiological saline solution, and group 3 (n = 18) received PRF only. Results: There were significant improvements in visual analog scale (VAS) scores at 30 min, 1 month, and 3 months after treatment in group 1 (P < 0.05) and at 1 month and 3 months in groups 2 and 3 (P < 0.05). There was a significant improvement in VAS scores in group 1 compared with groups 2 and 3 at 30 min after treatment. Conclusion: PRF applied to the nerve along with local anesthetic may increase pain relief, especially in the early posttreatment period. The favorable effects may depend on the pharmacodynamic features of the local anesthetic .

Pulmonary embolism occurring in a patient treated with spinal cord stimulation.

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has been shown to be an effective method for treating many chronic pain syndromes. In addition, providing pain relief with SCS can reduce immobilization and complications related to immobilization. The present case describes pulmonary embolism (PE) that occurred in patient being treated with SCS for post-laminectomy syndrome. The possibility of PE must be kept in mind while treating patients with SCS.

Dexmedetomidine use during strabismus surgery in agitated children.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the effects of dexmedetomidine premedication before intravenous infusion of ketamine in agitated children undergoing strabismus surgery. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We enrolled 60 agitated pediatric patients, aged 4.5-11 years. The patients were randomly allocated to one of two anesthesia regimens. Group D patients were premedicated with a single dose of intravenous dexmedetomidine 0.5 µg/kg whereas group P patients received a placebo. Patients in both groups were administered intravenous ketamine 1 mg/kg i.v. over 1 min followed by a continuous infusion of ketamine 1-3 mg/kg/h i.v. (n = 30). Patients were intubated after receiving fentanyl 1 µg/kg and rocuronium bromide 0.5 mg/kg. RESULTS: 21 (70%) patients in group D did not show the oculocardiac reflex (OCR) versus 7 (23%) in group P (p = 0.0006). The preoperative and postoperative agitation scores (p = 0.0001 and p = 0.03, respectively), the score on the Faces Pain Scale during awakening [3.0 (interquartile range, IQR 2.0-4.0) in group D and 0.0 (IQR 1.0-2.25) in group P] (p = 0.001) and at the 60th postoperative minute [IQR 2.0 (1.5-3.0) in group D and 2.0 (IQR 1.5-3.0) in group P] (p = 0.004), sore throat (26.6% in group D and 60% in group P) (p = 0.01) and analgesic requirement (20% in group D and 53% in group P) (p = 0.01) in group P were significantly higher than in group D. The Ramsay Sedation Score (RSS) in group D was significantly higher than in group P during awakening [2.0 (2.0-2.0) in group D and 4.5 (4.0-5.0) in group P] (p = 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Dexmedetomidine premedication followed by intravenous infusion of ketamine was effective in decreasing OCR, agitation, pain, analgesic requirement in agitated children undergoing strabismus surgery.

Ketamine versus propofol for strabismus surgery in children.

PURPOSE: To compare the effects of intravenous infusion of ketamine and propofol anesthesia in children undergoing strabismus surgery. METHODS: Sixty pediatric patients aged 4-11 years were enrolled for the study. Patients in Group K were infused ketamine 1-3 mg/kg/hr (n = 30) and patients in Group P were infused with propofol 6-9 mg/kg/hr (n = 30). After giving fentanyl 1 mug/kg and rocuronium bromide 0.5 mg/kg, patients were intubated. RESULTS: The consumption of anesthetics (P = 0.0001) and antiemetics (P = 0.004), the incidence of oculocardiac reflex (P = 0.02) in Group K were significantly lower than in Group P. The recovery time (P = 0.008), postoperative agitation score (P = 0.005), Face Pain Scale (P = 0.001), Ramsay Sedation Score (P = 0.01) during awakening and at postoperative 30th min (P = 0.02) in Group K were significantly lower than in Group P. The postoperative agitation score during awakening was significantly lower than the preoperative values in Group K (P = 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The infusion of ketamine is more advantageous than the infusion of propofol in children for use in strabismus surgery.