Safety of Conventional and Pulsed Radiofrequency Lesions of the Dorsal Root Entry Zone Complex (DREZC) for Interventional Pain Management: A Systematic Review.

STUDY DESIGN: Systematic literature review. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this systematic review is to assess the clinical safety and potential complications of conventional and pulsed radiofrequency ablations targeting dorsal root entry zone complex (DREZC) components in the treatment of chronic pain. BACKGROUND: There is a growing popularity for the use of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) techniques targeting DREZC components by pain management physicians for an increasing variety of indications. To date, we lack a systematic review to describe the safety and the type of complications associated with these procedures. METHODS: This was a systematic literature review. This systematic search was limited to peer-reviewed literature using "radiofrequency ablation" as a search keyword using PubMed's database for manuscripts published between inception and December 2020. Abstracts that involved the application of radiofrequency currents, of any modality, to DREZC components for the treatment of pain were included for full-text review. Search was limited to original data describing clinical outcomes following RFA performed for pain indications only, involving the DREZC components outlined above, in human subjects, and written in English. The primary outcomes were complications associated with conventional RFA and pulsed radiofrequency ablation (PRF). Complications were categorized as type 1 (persistent neurological deficits or other serious adverse events, defined as any event that resulted in permanent of prolonged injury; type 2 (transient neuritis or neurological deficits, or other non-neurological non-minor adverse event); type 3 (minor adverse events (e.g., headache, soreness, bruising, etc.). RESULTS: Of the 62 selected manuscripts totaling 3157 patients, there were zero serious adverse events or persistent neurological deficits reported. A total of 36 (1.14%) transient neurological deficits, cases of transient neuritis, or non-minor adverse events like uncomplicated pneumothorax were reported. A total of 113 (3.58%) minor adverse events were reported (bruising, transient site soreness, headache). CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review indicates that the use of RFA lesion of the DREZC for interventional pain management is very safe. There were no serious adverse effects with a sizable sample of randomized controlled trial (RCT), prospective observational, and retrospective studies.

Naltrexone's Impact on Cancer Progression and Mortality: A Systematic Review of Studies in Humans, Animal Models, and Cell Cultures.

BACKGROUND: Naltrexone (NTX) is an opioid antagonist traditionally used as a treatment for alcohol and opioid use disorders, but various studies have documented its involvement in cancer progression, exploring possible anticancer potential, when administered at high doses or as low dose naltrexone (LDN). Herein we present a systematic review of cancer-related outcomes from case reports, clinical trials, and retrospective and prospective studies conducted using cell cultures, animal models, and human subjects receiving NTX/LDN. METHODS: A systematic search of NTX in cancer therapy was conducted. Outcomes including tumor size and number, latency to tumor development, survival duration, progression of disease, and scan results were assessed in clinical and animal studies, and cell number was used as the outcome measure of culture studies. RESULTS: Several case reports demonstrate notable survival durations and metastatic resolutions in patients with late stage cancer when administered an average LDN dose of 3-5 mg/day. Animal and cell culture studies suggest an overarching principle of NTX involvement in cancer pharmacophysiology, suggesting that high doses and continuous administration can foster cancer progression, whereas low doses and intermittent treatment may hinder cell proliferation, impede tumorigenesis, and have potential anticancer efficacy. CONCLUSION: This review emphasizes the value of potential future research on NTX in cancer therapy, and warrants need for a better understanding of underlying mechanisms. Future controlled studies with more robust sample sizes, particularly in humans, are needed to fully elucidate its potential in cancer therapy.

Medication safety: does intravenous acetaminophen promote perioperative hypothermia for total hip arthroplasty?

As an effective antipyretic with a yet-unknown mechanism-of-action, intravenous (IV) acetaminophen use for total hip arthroplasties (THA) may worsen perioperative hypothermia when combined with the known hypothermia-inducing effects of general anesthesia (GA), affecting wound healing, recovery times, and patient satisfaction. This retrospective chart review of primary THA cases compared perioperative heat loss for patients who received IV acetaminophen with GA (group A, n = 74) to those receiving GA alone (group B, n = 197). All patients received forced-air warming blankets. Neuraxial anesthesia cases were excluded. No significant temperature differences existed between group A (-0.33°C, SD = 0.36) and group B (-0.30°C, SD = 0.34, P > 0.05). IV acetaminophen use for THA does not appear to promote hypothermia under general anesthesia.