ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Lower back and radicular pain are leading causes of disability and loss of quality of life, especially due to its high prevalence in the general population. Cooled radiofrequency treatment (CRT) has emerged as a novel non-invasive technique for the management of discogenic pain with safe and effective results. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of CRT in the treatment of radicular pain secondary to a lumbar hernia in patients with chronic neuropathic pain after receiving conservative treatment that did not achieve adequate pain management. METHODS: A prospective study of patients undergoing CRT for the management of discogenic low back pain was carried out. When attending the first evaluation and corroborating the lumbar hernias by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), treatment was offered one month of physiotherapy before CRT. To assess the evolution of the patients, measurements were taken before and after the intervention with the visual analog scale (VAS) and the Oswestry low back pain disability scale (OLBPDS) scores. RESULTS: A total of 74 patients (mean age: 48.42 ± 14.32 years, 66.11% female) were included, who were undergoing a total of 134 herniated intervertebral lumbar discs. When comparing the initial perception of low back pain and after finding a non-significant partial improvement with one month of physiotherapy treatment, it was observed that the patients who were offered CRT showed an average improvement in discogenic pain of 79.92% (p = <0.0001, 95% CI: -7.010 to -6.379) in 98.64% of cases. This was accompanied by an increase in their functionality of daily living activities, as measured by OLBPDS. No patients presented significant adverse events, and in the only case where the desired pain management was not obtained, the patient's discomfort did not worsen. CONCLUSIONS: Intradiscal biacuplasty by CRT is a considerable treatment for lumbar radiculopathy. Postoperative results demonstrated its effectiveness and safety in the management of radicular pain without the presence of significant adverse effects.
ABSTRACT
Painful spastic hemiplegia is a common sequel to a stroke in which patients rarely achieve optimal levels of pain control. Herein, we report the case of a 62-year-old woman with painful spasticity secondary to an ischemic stroke of 15 years' evolution who received multiple pharmacological treatments without reaching motor or pain management goals. After an adequate analgesic response to the intrathecal baclofen test, the placement of an electromechanical pump was decided, reaching an effective maintenance dose of 150 µg per day. Despite achieving partial improvement in spasticity, optimal pain remission was achieved.
ABSTRACT
Painful postsurgical neuropathy is an adverse event inherent to a wide variety of surgical treatments, so its diagnosis and specialized treatment are essential to maintaining the quality of life of the people who suffer from it. We present the case of a 31-year-old male with neuropathy of the genitofemoral nerve diagnosed by electromyography, resulting in intractable left testicular and thigh pain associated with a recent history of ipsilateral inguinal hernioplasty. After assessment by pain medicine and motor and sensory tests, a neurostimulator was placed in T8-T9 with action at the L1-L2 level, as well as a simultaneous electrode in S3, generating optimal pain relief and recovery of functionality.
ABSTRACT
Among the neurological manifestations associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), neuropathies are rare. They have been associated with prolonged prostration and metabolic failure in a seriously ill patient. We present a case series of four Mexican patients diagnosed with diaphragmatic dysfunction due to phrenic neuropathy during acute COVID-19, documented by conduction velocities of the phrenic nerves. Blood tests, chest computed tomography (CT), and nerve conduction velocities of the phrenic nerves were performed. COVID-19 patients with phrenic nerve neuropathy represent a therapeutic challenge since they have high oxygen requirements due to the malfunction of ventilatory mechanics secondary to neuromuscular damage, as well as the damage that pneumonia generates in lung tissue. We confirm and extend the neurological manifestations of COVID-19, the impact on the neuromuscular dysfunction of the diaphragm, and its consequences such as the difficulty of weaning from mechanical ventilation.
