Single S1 Dorsal Root Ganglia Stimulation for Intractable Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Foot Pain After Lumbar Spine Surgery: A Case Series.

INTRODUCTION: Intractable complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)-related chronic foot pain, is a common therapeutic challenge for interventional pain management physicians and patients alike. Dorsal root ganglia (DRG) stimulation is a very target specific dorsal column stimulation technique with very promising clinical outcomes. Patients with CRPS foot pain and previous back surgery can benefit from DRG stimulation but also run a significant risk of epidural trauma from the DRG sheath advancement. Most sensory innervation to the foot is from L5 and S1 dermatomes. Although there is dual modulation from L5 and S1 DRG, significant "cross talk" exists between these structures such that a DRG lead solely at S1 could provide pain relief for the entire foot. In this case series, we examined the outcomes obtained from placement of solely S1 DRG stimulating electrodes in patients with CRPS-related chronic foot pain, and examine whether this may provide a reduced risk of dural injury. Furthermore, we describe the technical aspects of a S1 DRG placement and discuss relevant anatomical issues pertaining to this approach. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five patients (four female, one male) with chronic foot pain participated. The oldest was 71 and the youngest 49. Three patients were diagnosed with foot CRPS-1, and two patients with foot CRPS-2. All patients had back surgery in the past and all underwent a trial and subsequent S1 DRG implantation. The patients were evaluated with a numeric rating score (NRS) for pain and function before the procedure and one, two, three, and six months after the procedure. The first patient underwent an L5 and S1 trial and developed CSF leak and postdural puncture headache. Two months later, the patient was re-trialed and implanted with a single S1 electrode. The other four patients were trialed and implanted with single S1 DRG electrodes. RESULTS: All five patients had severe pain (8-10 NRS) and significant loss of function and quality of life (2-4 NRS) before the procedure. All five patients had excellent (0-3 NRS) pain relief and functional restoration (8-10 NRS) with a single S1 electrode trial, and all five proceeded with permanent implantation. The pain relief from the S1 DRG stimulation extended to the entire foot without any sparing. All patients were able to discontinue or significantly reduce their oral pain medications. The one-, two-, three-, and six-month follow-up showed preservation of therapeutic efficacy. CONCLUSIONS: A single S1 DRG electrode placement in patients diagnosed with CRPS of the foot and who had previous back surgery is therapeutically effective and can minimize the risk of dural trauma and CSF leak.

Publishing Trends in Two American Journals in Anesthesiology-Results of an 80-Year Geographical Survey.

BACKGROUND: We examined publication trends in two major American journals devoted to anesthesia to understand the geographical distribution of authorship and attempt to decipher the factors that influence this distribution. METHODS: In addition to bibliometric information for all articles published in Anesthesiology between 1941 and 2010 and Anesthesia & Analgesia between 1931 and 2010, we also collected information about the country, continent, and medical school or institution from which the articles were submitted. RESULTS: The top five countries that published research in these journals were the United States, Japan, Germany, Canada, and France. More than 50% of the published articles were submitted from the United States. However, US publications have steadily and significantly declined over the decades. Contributions from Europe and Asia (especially China) have shown marked increases. US spending on research, especially biomedical research, has remained essentially unchanged and declined in some areas, whereas it has increased steadily in some of the other countries we discuss. CONCLUSIONS: There is a significantly increased prominence in publishing from countries other than the United States. The reasons for this include the convenience of Web-based submission, an increased desire by researchers from around the world to publish in journals considered prestigious, English becoming the preferred language of communication amongst academicians in science, the advent of globalization, and a decrease in public research funding in the United States relative to other countries.

Sacral neuromodulation as a treatment for pudendal neuralgia.

Pudendal neuralgia is a debilitating pain syndrome, and finding long-lasting treatment modalities has been challenging in pain management. The pudendal nerve has sensory and motor functions, and influences autonomic functions. Thus, entrapment or damage of this nerve can have multiple serious implications. The constellation of symptoms which result from injury to this nerve is commonly referred to as pudendal neuralgia. When conservative therapy does not provide adequate pain relief and surgical procedures fail or are not viable options, central and peripheral nerve stimulation can be effective treatment modalities. More recent approaches to treatment include the use of peripheral nerve stimulation through the use of an electrical lead placed next to the pudendal nerve in the ischioanal fossa. Also, epidural stimulation of the conus medullaris and pulsed radiofrequency ablation of the pudendal nerve have been shown to be effective in small patient populations. We present the case of a 36-year-old woman who sustained pudendal nerve injury during a hysterectomy and subsequently developed intractable pelvic pain and pudendal neuralgia. Conservative treatment measures failed, but she obtained excellent results from peripheral nerve stimulator therapy. Permanent implantation consisted of 4 tined Interstim leads, individually placed into the bilateral S3 and S4 foramina. The patient has been followed for approximately 4 years since her procedure, demonstrating increased function as she is able to stand and sit for prolonged periods of time. She has returned to her usual daily activities, including horseback riding. This is the first reported case of transforminal sacral neurostimulation providing excellent relief of pudendal neuralgia related symptoms.

Anesthesia report card - a customizable tool for performance improvement.

PURPOSE: Measuring and providing performance feedback to physicians has gained momentum not only as a way to comply with regulatory requirements, but also as a way to improve patient care. Measurement of structural, process, and outcome metrics in a reliable, evidence-based, specialty-specific manner maximizes the probability of improving physician performance. The manner in which feedback is provided influences whether the measurement tool will be successful in changing behavior. We created an innovative reporting tool template for anesthesiology practitioners designed to provide detailed, continuous feedback covering many aspects of clinical practice. METHODS: The literature regarding quality metric measurement and feedback strategies was examined to design a reporting tool that could provide high quality information and result in improved performance of clinical and academic tasks. A committee of department leaders and information technology professionals was tasked with determining the measurement criteria and infrastructure needed to generate these reports. Data was collected in a systematic, unbiased manner, and reports were populated with information from multiple databases and software systems. Feedback would be based on frequently updated information and allow for analysis of historical performance as well as comparison amongst peers. RESULTS: A template for an anesthesia report card was created. Categories included compliance, credentialing and qualifications, education, clinical and operating room responsibilities, and academic achievements. Physicians were able to choose to be evaluated in some of the categories and had to meet a minimum number of criteria within each category. This allowed for customization to each practitioner's practice. Criteria were derived from the measures of academic and clinical proficiency, as well as quality metrics. Criteria were objective measures and data gathering was often automated. Reports could be generated that were updated daily and provided historical information, and information about peers in the department and within each subspecialty group. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate the creation of an online anesthesia report card that incorporates metrics most likely to engender positive changes in practice and academic responsibilities. This tool provides timely and customized information for each anesthesia practitioner, designed to be easily modifiable to improve the quantity, quality, and substance of metrics being measured. Finally, our tool could serve as a template for a performance measuring tool that can be customizable to a wide variety of practice settings, and upon which both monetary and non-monetary incentives might be based in the future.

Aberrant intrathecal pump refill: ultrasound-guided aspiration of a substantial quantity of subcutaneous hydromorphone.

Intrathecal drug delivery systems are an effective and increasingly common pain treatment modality for certain patient populations. Pumps are surgically inserted in a subcutaneous abdominal pocket and refilled with highly concentrated medication at regular intervals. Inadvertent injection of medication outside the pump is a known complication of the refill procedure. We describe the injection of hydromorphone into the pump's surrounding subcutaneous pocket, subsequent opioid overdose, and the novel application of ultrasound to visualize and aspirate the subcutaneous drug. Ultrasonography can be used as an effective modality for rapid diagnosis and treatment of an accidental pocket fill.