Interventional Techniques for the Management of Knee Osteoarthritis: A Literature Review.

Osteoarthritis of the knee is a prevalent condition that causes pain, discomfort, and disability that can severely impact the quality of life. This literature review aims to review the various interventional pain management techniques available to treat knee osteoarthritis. It analyzes the efficacy of various interventions such as intra-articular corticosteroids, prolotherapy, viscosupplementation, platelet-rich plasma, and genicular nerve blocks with radiofrequency ablation or cryoneurolysis. We searched databases for studies published in the past 20 years. A total of 37 articles were included. The literature supports the idea that a comprehensive treatment plan consisting of the various aforementioned techniques can provide relief for patients while delaying or avoiding joint replacement surgery.

Pain Management Interventions in Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: A Literature Review.

Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) occurs due to the narrowing of the space within the vertebral canal and or intervertebral foramina. This results in the compression of the spinal cord and possibly the roots of the spinal nerves. Lower back pain and neurogenic claudication (NC) are major symptoms of spinal stenosis. This is a literature review that summarizes the important findings pertaining to pain management of spinal stenosis. Twenty-four original articles were assessed. Pain can be treated through non-invasive or surgical methods. Conservative techniques include physical exercises, epidural corticosteroid injection, local anesthetic injection therapy, and oral analgesics. Surgical intervention deals with the decompression of the affected spinal region, with or without vertebral fusion surgery. Other novel surgical techniques include implantation of specific equipment, known as interspinous spacer devices and minimally invasive lumbar decompression (MILD). Most studies offering a comparative analysis have demonstrated that surgical intervention is more efficacious than non-surgical interventions to manage pain associated with spinal stenosis.

A Case Report of Neuropathic Pain and Unilateral Lower Extremity Weakness Following a Cardiac Arrest.

Femoral nerve palsy is a rare, but significant complication following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for conditions such as myocardial infarction. We present a case of a 61-year-old male patient who presented for cardiac rehabilitation following an emergent PCI procedure for cardiac arrest secondary to ST-elevation myocardial infarction. He later developed right lower extremity weakness and severe neuropathic pain on arrival to the acute rehabilitation unit. After physical examination and electrodiagnostic studies, he was determined to have a right femoral nerve neuropathy. This case report highlights the clinical course, physical examination/electrodiagnostic findings, and subsequent pain management of femoral nerve palsies.