ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Low back pain (LBP) symptoms and signs are nonspecific. If required, diagnostic blocks may find the source of pain, but indicators of suspect diagnosis must be defined to identify anatomical targets. OBJECTIVE: To reach a consensus from an expert panel on the indicators for the most common causes of LBP. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A 3-round (2 telematic and 1 face-to-face) modified Delphi survey with a questionnaire on 78 evidence-based indicators of 7 LBP etiologies was completed by 23 experts. RESULTS: 98.7% of the questionnaire was consensuated. The most accepted indicators were for zygapophysial joint pain, painful ipsilateral paravertebral palpation, worsening with trunk extension, paravertebral musculature spasm on the affected articulation, and referred pain above the knee, without radicular pattern. For sacroiliac joint pain, unilateral pain when seating, with at least 3 described provoking tests: Approximation; gapping; Patrick's; Gaenslen's; thigh thrust; Fortin finger; and Gillet's tests. For discogenic pain, midline pain that may be provoked by pressure on the spinal processes at the affected level; for quadratus lumborum muscle, painful palpation on both the L1 level paravertebral region, referred to iliac crest, and the iliac crest, referred to greater trochanter. For iliopsoas muscle, pain elicited by thigh flexion, referred to buttock, inguinal region, and anterior thigh. For pyramidal muscle, pain while sitting on the affected side and positive Freiberg's test. For radicular pain, paresthesias and positive Lassègue's test at 60°. CONCLUSION: Seventy-seven diagnostic suspect indicators of LBP conditions were consensuated. These may facilitate conservative or interventional pain management decision-making.
Subject(s)
Arthralgia/diagnosis , Back Muscles , Intervertebral Disc Degeneration/diagnosis , Low Back Pain/diagnosis , Myalgia/diagnosis , Radiculopathy/diagnosis , Sacroiliac Joint , Zygapophyseal Joint , Arthralgia/complications , Delphi Technique , Humans , Intervertebral Disc Degeneration/complications , Low Back Pain/etiology , Lumbar Vertebrae , Myalgia/complications , Radiculopathy/complications , Surveys and Questionnaires , Symptom AssessmentABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to determine whether ropivacaine plus fentanyl was as effective as bupivacaine plus fentanyl in a continuous thoracic paravertebral block after posterolateral thoracotomy. DESIGN: Patients were randomly assigned in a blinded fashion to receive 1 of 2 solutions for paravertebral analgesia. SETTING: Multi-institutional university hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty patients undergoing elective thoracotomy. INTERVENTIONS: A continuous paravertebral infusion of 0.1 mL/kg/h of either 0.3% ropivacaine/fentanyl, 3 microg/mL, or 0.25% bupivacaine/fentanyl, 3 microg/mL, was started on admission to the intensive care unit. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Pain scores (rest, deep breathing, and coughing), spirometry, subcutaneous opioids, or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug consumption and adverse events were assessed for 48 hours. Both techniques provided adequate pain relief for the first 2 days after posterolateral thoracotomy. There were no differences between groups in pain scores at rest, coughing, or movement. There was an improvement of spirometry values between the first and second day in both groups. There were no differences in the requirements for rescue analgesia and side effects between groups. CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that both bupivacaine, 0.25%, and ropivacaine, 0.3%, with fentanyl are equally effective for post-thoracotomy pain control when used via continuous paravertebral blockade.
