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The musculoskeletal system facilitates voluntary and involuntary movement and is a core component of functional capacity, strength, and endurance. Signals for motor function descend from the cortex through the spinal cord to the motor nerve and skeletal muscle, resulting in muscle cell depolarization and contraction. The neuromuscular junction is arguably the most important point in this communication circuit, as it is the site of many paralytics necessary in anesthesia, but interference with any part of the motor signal will result in akinesia. This chapter discusses the anatomy and organization of the nervous system as it relates to musculoskeletal function.

Tranquilizers over the years have provided physicians a means to help control patients’ anxiety, agitation, and aggression. The major groups of tranquilizers are antipsychotics, specifically butyrophenones, and benzodiazepines. The butyrophenones, such as haloperidol, block dopamine D2 receptors, which clinically results in a reduction in agitation and psychosis. This can be a very effective medication for the treatment of acute delirium, particularly in an inpatient hospital setting. Benzodiazepines are also widely prescribed by clinicians, particularly due to their multipurpose uses, which include alleviation of tension, anxiety, muscle tensions, and spasticity. This class of medications interacts with γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) A receptor, which opens the channel and allows for chloride ions to travel into the cell, resultingin hyperpolarization. Clinically, benzodiazepines can be grouped based on several factors, such as lipid solubility, half-life, and receptor binding affinity.

Aim: Endoscopic discectomies provide several advantages over other techniques such as traditional open lumbar discectomy (OLD) including possibly decreased complications, shorter hospital stay and an earlier return to work. Methods: An electronic database search including MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and Cochrane Controlled trials (CENTRAL) were reviewed for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) only. Results: A total of nine RCTs met inclusion criteria. Three showed benefit of endoscopic discectomy over the comparator with regards to pain relief, with the remaining six studies showing no difference in pain relief or function. Conclusion: Based on review of the nine included studies, we can conclude that endoscopic discectomy is as effective as other surgical techniques, and has additional benefits of lower complication rate and superior perioperative parameters.

Sayed D, Grider J, Strand N, et al. J Pain Res. 2022;15:3729-3832. The authors have advised that there is an error in Table 32 on page 3797. Row six Gilligan et al 2021, fourth column level of evidence, the text “I-C” should read “I-A”. The correct Table 32 is as follows. Table 32 Evidence Summary for Multifidus Activation via Medial Branch Nerve Stimulation The authors apologize for this error.

ObjectiveTo conduct a systematic literature review of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) stimulation for pain.DesignGrade the evidence for DRG stimulation.MethodsAn international, interdisciplinary work group conducted a literature search for DRG stimulation. Abstracts were reviewed to select studies for grading. General inclusion criteria were prospective trials (randomized controlled trials and observational studies) that were not part of a larger or previously reported group. Excluded studies were retrospective, too small, or existed only as abstracts. Studies were graded using the modified Interventional Pain Management Techniques–Quality Appraisal of Reliability and Risk of Bias Assessment, the Cochrane Collaborations Risk of Bias assessment, and the US Preventative Services Task Force level-of-evidence criteria.ResultsDRG stimulation has Level II evidence (moderate) based upon one high-quality pivotal randomized controlled trial and two lower-quality studies.ConclusionsModerate-level evidence supports DRG stimulation for treating chronic focal neuropathic pain and complex regional pain syndrome.

To discuss updates and recommendations for the treatment of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), a painful neuropathic condition caused by reactivation of the latent varicella-zoster virus (VZV). The focus of this review will include prevention, evaluation, diagnosis, and management. Using a multidisciplinary approach to management yields the best results, including oral and topical medication, physical therapy, psychotherapy, injections, complementary, and other procedural interventions, as well as neural stimulation. Recent advancements in the management of neuropathic pain conditions have led to opioid sparing options for postherpetic neuralgia and can help prevent its progression in order to minimize disability.

BackgroundCervical epidural steroid injections are commonly performed to manage pain from cervical spine disease. Cadaveric studies have demonstrated incomplete ligamentum flavum fusion in the central interlaminar region with resultant midline gaps. We performed an MR-based characterization of cervical ligamentum flavum midline gaps to improve understanding of their prevalence and guide interventionalists in procedural planning.MethodsFifty patients were retrospectively reviewed following institutional review board approval. Axial T2-weighted spinecho sequences were used to evaluate ligamentum flavum integrity at the interlaminar spaces of C5–C6, C6–C7 and C7–T1. Interlaminar spaces were further subdivided into superior, middle, and inferior portions, yielding 150 interlaminar regions characterized from C5 to T1. Subsequently, a novel categorization of gap morphology was performed, highlighting gap morphology (anterior, posterior, full, or no gap).ResultsFull gaps of the ligamentum flavum, with direct epidural space exposure, were observed with variable prevalence at all three levels evaluated. The highest incidence of full ligamentum flavum gaps were observed at C7–T1, occurring in 71.4% of patients at both its middle and inferior portions. The inferior aspect of C5–C6 demonstrated the lowest observed rates of full ligamentum flavum gap (2%).ConclusionsLigamentum flavum gaps occur in the lower cervical spine at high rates, with the highest prevalence of full thickness ligamentum flavum gaps at C7–T1. Interventionists must be aware of these important normal variants and evaluate preprocedural MRI to plan interventions.

This systematic review comprehensively compared balloon kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty with respect to height restoration and pain relief.PRISMA guidelines were utilized to compare balloon kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty, focusing on the primary outcome of height restoration and the secondary outcomes of pain relief and functionality. A total of 33 randomized controlled trials were included; 20 reviewed balloon kyphoplasty, 7 reviewed vertebroplasty, and 6 compared vertebroplasty to balloon kyphoplasty. Both treatments restored some vertebral body height and showed benefits in pain reduction and improved patient-reported functionality.Balloon kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty are effective treatments for vertebral compression fractures and this review suggests that balloon kyphoplasty may be favored for vertebral height restoration. Further studies are needed to conclude whether balloon kyphoplasty or vertebroplasty is superior for alleviating pain.

Background Treatments for joint pain and dysfunction focus on restoration of joint motion, improvement in pain and a return to the previous level of the patient's daily activity. Therapeutic ultrasound is a noninvasive modality widely utilized in the management of musculoskeletal disorders. The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate the effectiveness of therapeutic ultrasound in the management of patients with knee, shoulder and hip pain. Methods Using PRISMA guidelines, a search of the PubMed, CENTRAL (The Cochrane Library), Web of Science and Scopus databases was performed to retrieve randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated therapeutic ultrasound (continuous and pulsed) in patients with chronic knee, shoulder and hip pain. Results The search strategy identified 8 trials for knee, 7 trials for shoulder and 0 trials for hip that met the criteria for inclusion. All 8 trials showed improvement in knee pain, and of these studies 3 showed statistical significance improvement for therapeutic ultrasound versus the comparator. For shoulder pain, all 7 trials showed reduction in pain, but should be noted that 4 of studies demonstrated that therapeutic ultrasound is inferior to the comparator modality, Conclusion Therapeutic ultrasound is frequently used in the treatment of knee, shoulder and hip pain and is often combined with other physiotherapeutic modalities. The literature on knee arthritis is most robust, with some evidence supporting therapeutic ultrasound, though the delivery method of ultrasound (pulsed vs continuous) is controversial. As a monotherapy, ultrasound treatment may not have a significant impact on functional improvement but can be a reasonable adjunct to consider with other common modalities. In all three pain syndromes, especially for hip pain, further trials are needed to define the true effect of low-intensity ultrasound therapy knee, shoulder and hip pain. No conclusive recommendations may be made for optimal settings or session duration.

Introduction: Knee osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that is secondary to degradation of articular cartilage, reformation of subchondral bone through degradation and proliferation as well as presence of synovitis. Materials & methods: This systematic review was conducted and reported as per Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines. Results: A total of 30 of the 48 comparators showed statistically significant superiority with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) compared with a control, while the other 16 comparators showed no significant difference between PRP and the comparator. Conclusion: We can only recommend PRP for patients with early-stage osteoarthritis (I or II) and who are aged below 65, based on our findings. Based on the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) recommendations, while studies reviewed were randomized controlled studies, and therefore, high grade, due to variance in imprecision, risk of bias and inconsistency among the 37 studies, it would be reasonable to rate this paper as subjectively moderate.

ObjectiveTo conduct a systematic literature review of peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) for pain.DesignGrade the evidence for PNS.MethodsAn international interdisciplinary work group conducted a literature search for PNS. Abstracts were reviewed to select studies for grading. Inclusion/exclusion criteria included prospective randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with meaningful clinical outcomes that were not part of a larger or previously reported group. Excluded studies were retrospective, had less than two months of follow-up, or existed only as abstracts. Full studies were graded by two independent reviewers using the modified Interventional Pain Management Techniques–Quality Appraisal of Reliability and Risk of Bias Assessment, the Cochrane Collaborations Risk of Bias assessment, and the US Preventative Services Task Force level-of-evidence criteria.ResultsPeripheral nerve stimulation was studied in 14 RCTs for a variety of painful conditions (headache, shoulder, pelvic, back, extremity, and trunk pain). Moderate to strong evidence supported the use of PNS to treat pain.ConclusionPeripheral nerve stimulation has moderate/strong evidence. Additional prospective trials could further refine appropriate populations and pain diagnoses.

Objectives Low-intensity ultrasound (LIU)/low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) may influence nerve tissue regeneration and axonal changes in the context of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and in the animal model. The purpose of this pragmatic review is to understand the current knowledge for the effects of low-intensity therapeutic ultrasound in the animal and human model and determine the future directions of this novel field. Design Pragmatic review. Methods We performed a literature search of available material using OVID, EmBase, and PubMed for LIU/LIPUS, all of which were preclinical trials, case reports, and case series using animal models. For CTS, a literature search was performed on PubMed (1954 to 2019), CENTRAL (the Cochrane Library, 1970 to 2018), Web of Science (1954 to 2019), and SCOPUS (1954 to 2019) to retrieve randomized controlled trials. Results Eight articles were discussed showing the potential effects of LIU on nerve regeneration in the animal model. Each of these trials demonstrated evidence of nerve regeneration in the animal model using LIPUS or LIU. Seven randomized controlled trials were reviewed for ultrasound effects for the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome, each showing clinical efficacy comparable to other treatment modalities. Conclusions LIU/LIPUS is a promising and noninvasive means of facilitating nerve regeneration in the animal model and in the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome. Although many of the trials included in this review are preclinical, each demonstrates promising outcomes that could eventually be extrapolated into human studies.

ObjectiveTo conduct a systematic literature review of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) for pain.DesignGrade the evidence for SCS.MethodsAn international, interdisciplinary work group conducted literature searches, reviewed abstracts, and selected studies for grading. Inclusion/exclusion criteria included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of patients with intractable pain of greater than one year’s duration. Full studies were graded by two independent reviewers. Excluded studies were retrospective, had small numbers of subjects, or existed only as abstracts. Studies were graded using the modified Interventional Pain Management Techniques–Quality Appraisal of Reliability and Risk of Bias Assessment, the Cochrane Collaborations Risk of Bias assessment, and the US Preventative Services Task Force level-of-evidence criteria.ResultsSCS has Level 1 evidence (strong) for axial back/lumbar radiculopathy or neuralgia (five high-quality RCTs) and complex regional pain syndrome (one high-quality RCT).ConclusionsHigh-level evidence supports SCS for treating chronic pain and complex regional pain syndrome. For patients with failed back surgery syndrome, SCS was more effective than reoperation or medical management. New stimulation waveforms and frequencies may provide a greater likelihood of pain relief compared with conventional SCS for patients with axial back pain, with or without radicular pain.

Clinical studies demonstrate that buprenorphine is a pharmacologic agent that can be used for the treatment of various types of painful conditions. This study investigated the efficacy of 5 different types of buprenorphine formulations in the chronic pain population. The literature was reviewed on PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Database, clinicaltrials.gov, and PROSPERO that dated from inception until June 30, 2017. Using the population, intervention, comparator, and outcomes method, 25 randomized controlled trials were reviewed involving 5 buprenorphine formulations in patients with chronic pain: intravenous buprenorphine, sublingual buprenorphine, sublingual buprenorphine/naloxone, buccal buprenorphine, and transdermal buprenorphine, with comparators consisting of opioid analgesics or placebo. Of the 25 studies reviewed, a total of 14 studies demonstrated clinically significant benefit with buprenorphine in the management of chronic pain: 1 study out of 6 sublingual and intravenous buprenorphine, the only sublingual buprenorphine/naloxone study, 2 out of 3 studies of buccal buprenorphine, and 10 out of 15 studies for transdermal buprenorphine showed significant reduction in pain against a comparator. No serious adverse effects were reported in any of the studies. We conclude that a transdermal buprenorphine formulation is an effective analgesic in patients with chronic pain, while buccal buprenorphine is also a promising formulation based on the limited number of studies.

To investigate the efficacy of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDA) receptor antagonists for neuropathic pain and review literature to determine if specific pharmacologic agents provide adequate neuropathic pain relief. Literature was reviewed on PubMed using a variety of key words for 8 NMDA receptor antagonists. These key words include: “Ketamine and Neuropathy”, “Ketamine and Neuropathic Pain”, “Methadone and Neuropathy”, “Methadone and Neuropathic Pain”, “Memantine and Neuropathic pain”, “Memantine and Neuropathy”, “Amantadine and Neuropathic Pain”, “Amantadine and Neuropathy”, “Dextromethorphan and Neuropathic Pain”, “Dextromethorphan and Neuropathy”, “Carbamazepine and Neuropathic Pain”, “Carbamazepine and Neuropathy”, “Valproic Acid and Neuropathy”, “Valproic Acid and Neuropathic Pain”, “Phenytoin and Neuropathy” and “Phenytoin and Neuropathic Pain”. With the results, the papers were reviewed using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting in Systematic and Meta-Analyses) guideline. A total of 58 randomized controlled trials were reviewed among 8 pharmacologic agents, which are organized by date and alphabetical order. Of the trials for ketamine, 15 showed some benefit for analgesia. Methadone had 3 beneficiary trials, while amantadine and memantine each only had 2 trials showing neuropathic analgesic properties. Dextromethorphan and Valproic Acid both had 4 randomized controlled trials that showed some neuropathic treatment benefit while carbamazepine had over 8 trials showing efficacy. Finally, phenytoin only had 1 trial that showed clinical response in treatment. It is evident there are a variety of NMDA receptor antagonist agents that should be considered for treatment of neuropathic pain. Nevertheless, continued and further investigation of the 8 pharmacologic agents is needed to continue to evaluate their efficacy for treatment of neuropathic pain.

Objectives The primary objective of this case series was to report the use of cervical epidural steroid injection in the management of neck pain and stiffness secondary to spondyloarthropathy in cases refractory to conservative therapy. Methods This was a case report series on three patients with diagnosis of spondyloarthropathy who presented with severe stiffness and non-radicular axial neck pain refractory to conservative therapy. All patients received cervical epidural steroid injections with significant improvement of their axial neck pain and stiffness. Results Cervical epidural steroid injections may be effective to improve the axial neck pain and stiffness in patients with diagnosis of spondyloarthropathy refractory to conservative management. Thus, we believe that epidural steroid injections should be considered in the management of patients with spondyloarthopathies.

Aim: To illustrate the anatomical and pathophysiological risks of epidural hematoma formation, other than direct needle trauma, after lumbar transforaminal epidural steroid injection in the setting of severe central canal stenosis. Case report: This case report presents the development of an epidural hematoma after lumbar transforaminal epidural steroid injection in a patient who has anatomical risk factor of severe lumbar spinal stenosis. The anatomic location of epidural hematoma was at the injected level, but on the contralateral side of the dura at a distance from the needle path. Epidural vascular anatomy and the potential mechanisms of bleeding in the epidural space in the absence of direct needle trauma, including the importance of injection pressures are discussed. Conclusion: This is the first reported case of an epidural hematoma on the contralateral side of the dura at a distance from the needle tip location, in the setting of severe central canal stenosis.

Postoperative acute visual loss due to organic pathology has been described after spinal surgery in the prone position. This report describes a case of transient postoperative blindness in a patient after general anesthesia and surgery in the prone position. Postoperative workup did not reveal any organic pathology. Unbeknown to the treating physicians, the patient had a comorbid untreated psychiatric history. Upon psychiatric consultation, the patient was diagnosed with conversion disorder as a cause of postoperative blindness. There was full recovery of vision after psychiatric intervention within a week.

Objectives The primary objective of this case report was to demonstrate the unilateral distribution of the low volume injectate given in the epidural space when paramedian interlaminar approach is utilized under computed tomography guidance. Methods This was a case report on a single patient with history of unilateral epidural contrast distribution under fluoroscopy views, who presented with bilateral lumbar radicular symptoms, and underwent epidural injections via bilateral paramedian interlaminar approach under computed tomography guidance. Multiple-level computed tomography scans were obtained for demonstration purposes. Results There was primarily unilateral distribution of low–volume injectate in the epidural space when paramedian interlaminar approach is utilized.

Chronic pain continues to be a major health issue throughout the world and a huge economic burden for nations around the world. While the use of opioids does have risks, they are still widely used by clinicians as a treatment option for various chronic pain conditions. This review explores and compares the efficacy and safety of opioid and nonopioid agents for the following commonly encountered chronic pain conditions: neuropathic pain, rheumatoid arthritis joint pain, cancer pain and low back pain. Our findings demonstrate that while there are several nonopioid pharmacologic options that are clinically effective, opioids maintain a role in the treatment of certain chronic pain conditions and should continue to have an important place in the armamentarium of clinicians.

It is known that psychotropic medications have an impact on the readings found in Electroencephalogram (EEG). In the field of psychiatry, there are several psychotropics utilized by clinicians. This review seeks to investigate all the available data for psychotropic drugs and their impact on EEG changes.A systematic review of all the published and ongoing literature was conducted via PubMed. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method was used for each search. Key words for searches include 'EEG and Psychotropics', 'EEG and Mood Stabilizers', 'EEG and Clozapine', 'EEG and Bupropion', 'EEG and SSRI', 'EEG and Lamotrigine', 'EEG and Carbamazepine', 'EEG and Lithium' and 'EEG and Valproate', 'EEG and Haloperidol', 'EEG and Aripiprazole', 'EEG and Methylphenidate', 'EEG and Topiramate', 'EEG and Gabapentin' and 'EEG and Oxcarbamazepine'. After applying the inclusion criteria, 201 articles were eligible and reviewed.Following an extensive review of selected studies from the 201 articles, the studies indicate that each of the psychotropic medications reviewed impact alpha, beta, delta and theta waves independently and differently from each other. Additionally, certain medications, particularly haloperidol and valproic acid, have dissimilar results exemplified in all waveforms.This PRISMA systematic review illustrates that while there is available data on psychotropic medications and their proposed effect on EEG activity, further research is needed to confirm these findings to help allow clinical correlations to be made between the patient's response and the psychotropic agent.

Objectives To illustrate the obstacles and problems with electrical fields (EFs) in treatment and management of skin wounds. Unlike the literature that gives evidence for EF promoting wound healing, there is relatively little research to illustrate the interference of wound healing with EFs. Materials and Methods This is a case report of a patient who underwent spinal cord stimulator implantation, and presented with delayed wound healing postoperatively. Postoperative workup for infection was negative. Spinal cord stimulator was programmed to use higher frequencies than traditional settings, which required recharging the pulse generator daily. There was spontaneous improvement of the clinical presentation resulting in adequate wound healing after changing the programming to less frequent recharging requirements. Results In our case, despite the presence of clinical signs similar to a surgical site infection, the wound healing was most likely interrupted and delayed secondary to the electric field generated due to the frequent recharges of the pulse generator. Conclusions It is possible that EF can also negatively impact healing of a wound, and thus should be a consideration to clinicians when a delay in proper wound healing is encountered postoperatively. Therefore, in the postoperative period, when the wound healing is most active, we recommend avoiding programs that require frequent pulse generator recharges.

We report a case of a 57-year-old male patient with intrathecal morphine pump failure who presented with psychosis as part of a clinical presentation of opioid withdrawal. The patient was being treated for chronic back pain with an intrathecal morphine pump for several years. The patient spontaneously started to experience psychotic symptoms which included disorganized thinking, delusional thoughts, paranoia, auditory and visual hallucinations. Upon interrogation of intrathecal pump, it was found not to be functioning, thereby not delivering intrathecal morphine. After opioid rotation with administration of oral oxycodone, the patient’s psychosis improved dramatically within a few days, clinically confirming psychosis due to morphine withdrawal. Therefore, it is important for physicians to consider opioid withdrawal in patients experiencing isolated psychosis.

Dorsal thoracic arachnoid webs are due to a deformity in the formation of arachnoid membrane in the spinal arachnoid space. These webs usually occur in the upper thoracic spine and are viewed on imaging as a pathogonomic ‘scalpel’ sign because of the resemblance on sagittal MRI to a surgical scalpel. We describe a case of a patient with a neuropathic pain presentation. After MR imaging, a focal dorsal indentation of the upper thoracic spinal cord at the T3–T4 level with the scalpel sign was found. This sign indicates that the patient’s neuropathic pain was caused by the dorsal thoracic arachnoid web.

Respiratory symptoms such as cough, wheeze and stridor frequently occur in children and may persist for a long time. Determining the underlying cause of these chronic symptoms can be difficult as they may be due to a series of unrelated respiratory infections occurring in close succession or there may be one discrete underlying infection or condition. A chronic cough can generate anxiety in both children and their carers and ignoring it could lead to diagnostic delay or progression of a serious underlying respiratory disease. Cough guidelines and clinical pathways for a chronic cough in children vary and are not evidence based, so decisions regarding the investigation and treatment of the child with a chronic cough need to be made on an individual basis. This article provides a structured approach to managing the presentation of a chronic cough in children in general practice.

Objective. To investigate the efficacy of venlafaxine for neuropathic pain and review literature to determine if the medication provides adequate neuropathic pain relief. Methods. Literature was reviewed on MEDLINE using various key words. These key words include: “venlafaxine and pain,” “venlafaxine ER and pain,” “venlafaxine XR and pain,” “venlafaxine and neuropathic pain,” “venlafaxine and neuropathy,” “SSRI and neuropathic pain,” “SSRI and neuropathy,” “SNRI and neuropathic pain,” “SNRI and neuropathy,” “serotonin reuptake inhibitor and neuropathic pain,” “serotonin reuptake inhibitor and neuropathy,” “serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor and neuropathic pain” and “serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor and neuropathy.” Using this guideline, 13 articles were reviewed. Results. A total of 13 studies reviewed, which are organized by date and diagnosis. It is evident that in the majority of studies, when compared with a placebo, there was a clinical significant reduction in neuropathic pain relief when using venlafaxine. Additionally, one study showed even more significant pain relief when using higher doses of venlafaxine (at least 150 mg). However, when compared with alternative neuropathic medications, venlafaxine for the most part did not perform any better in terms of efficacy. Conclusion. In conclusion, venlafaxine is a safe and well-tolerated analgesic drug for the symptomatic treatment of neuropathic pain, and there is limited evidence that high-dose venlafaxine (150 mg/day) can be even more beneficial. While the present evidence is quite encouraging regarding venlafaxine’s use for neuropathic pain, further research is needed to continue to expand on these findings, particularly when in consideration with other possible pharmacological agents.

Phantom limb pain (PLP) is a challenging chronic pain syndrome to treat with pharmacologic agents being first line of management. However, when these agents fail to provide pain relief, other interventions must be considered in a clinical setting. Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has been shown to provide analgesia in PLP, and should be considered by clinicians. Methods: This PRISMA systematic review analyzes the efficacy of SCS for treatment of PLP. Results: After review of 12 studies, there are mixed results to base a conclusion on. Discussion: While there is some evidence of efficacy, due to the relatively small number of patients in each study, further research is needed to demonstrate the benefits of SCS for PLP.

RATIONALE To present an unusual extrapyramidal motor response occurring after a sympathetic block in CRPS and its successful treatment with diphenhydramine. PATIENT CONCERNS Severe pain related to Complex Regional Pain Syndrome type 1 interfering with activities of daily living. DIAGNOSES Complex Regional Pain Syndrome type 1. INTERVENTIONS We report a video case reports of two patients with a diagnosis of CRPS type-I. Both patients exhibited similar presentation of unusual extrapyramidal motor response of the affected limb following lumbar sympathetic block. Both patients were treated with intravenous diphenhydramine to abort the extrapyramidal motor response. OUTCOMES Both patients similarly responded to treatment with intravenous diphenhydramine with abrupt resolution of the motor response. LESSONS Sympathetic blockade may interfere with the adaptive autonomic reflex circuits of the motor balance homeostasis in patients with complex regional pain syndrome. Disinhibition of extrapyramidal system may lead to immediate expression of extrapyramidal signs following the sympathetic block. Diphenhydramine, with its anti-histaminic and anticholinergic properties, may be effective in aborting such extrapyramidal signs, and should be considered as a treatment option in similar cases.

Rationale: To present the successful treatment of complex regional pain syndrome type -1 utilizing sympathetic blocks. Patient concerns: Severe pain interfering with activities of daily living and temporary disability secondary to complex regional pain syndrome. Diagnoses: Complex regional pain syndrome type-1 with involvement of lower extremity (2 patients), and upper extremity (1 patient). Interventions: We report the management of 3 patients with diagnosis of complex regional pain syndrome type-1 by early institution of sympathetic blocks for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. All 3 patients were able to tolerate physical therapy only after adequate pain relief had been achieved with institution of sympathetic blocks. Outcomes: All 3 patients responded very favorably to sympathetic blocks with dramatic reversal of pathology. All patients reported almost complete resolution of pain, symptoms, and signs within 6 months duration after diagnosis of complex regional pain syndrome. All 3 patients were able to wean their pain medications and achieve normal activities of daily living without any significant limitations. All patients were able to return to full-time employment. Lessons: Treatment options are limited and there is lack of high quality research regarding the efficacy of sympathetic blocks in the treatment of complex regional pain syndrome. As presented in this case series, sympathetic blocks maybe very effective in the treatment of complex regional pain syndrome in a subset of patients. Thus, early institution of sympathetic blocks should be considered in complex regional pain syndrome prior to physical therapy and consideration of more invasive pain management interventions.

A 61-year-old woman presented to the emergency department, with a 4-day history of isolated oropharyngeal dysphagia associated with anorexia and weight loss over the previous 4 weeks. She had no other focal neurological symptoms and no deficits on examination. She had been in a 4-year remission of breast cancer postmastectomy and chemoradiation. Neuroimaging showed enhancement of cranial nerves VII, VIII, cisternal segment of cranial V, dorsal and ventral surfaces of the cervical and thoracic cord as well as enhancement of the cauda equina. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis revealed carcinomatous cells. The patient was diagnosed as having leptomeningeal carcinomatosis secondary to lobular breast cancer and was started on radiation therapy, antihormonal treatments and intrathecal methotrexate.

This is a case report of a 33-year-old woman who presented 5 days post-partum with abdominal distension, abdominal discomfort, increased bladder pressure and fatigue. These symptoms prompted a pelvic ultrasound and CT scan of the chest, abdomen and pelvis which showed a large 20 cm left-sided adnexal mass. Following this imaging, blood tests revealed elevated tumour markers CA-125 and lactate dehydrogenase, resulting in referral to and surgical intervention by the gynaecology oncology team. Pathology and immunohistochemistry indicated that the tumour was a metastasis from the colon, that prompted for colonoscopy which confirmed that the carcinoma was a metastases from the sigmoid.