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Treating intractable phantom limb pain with ambulatory continuous peripheral nerve blocks: a pilot study.

ABSTRACT: There is currently no reliable treatment for phantom limb pain (PLP). Chronic PLP and associated cortical abnormalities may be maintained from abnormal peripheral input, raising the possibility that a continuous peripheral nerve block (CPNB) of extended duration may permanently reorganize cortical pain mapping, thus providing lasting relief.Three men with below-the-knee (2) or -elbow (1) amputations and intractable PLP received femoral/sciatic or infraclavicular perineural catheter(s), respectively. Subjects were randomized in a double-masked fashion to receive perineural ropivacaine (0.5%) or normal saline for over 6 days as outpatients using portable electronic infusion pumps. Four months later, subjects returned for repeated perineural catheter insertion and received an ambulatory infusion with the alternate solution ("crossover"). Subjects were followed for up to 1 year.By chance, all three subjects received saline during their initial infusion and reported little change in their PLP. One subject did not receive crossover treatment, but the remaining two subjects reported complete resolution of their PLP during and immediately following treatment with ropivacaine. One subject experienced no PLP recurrence through the 52-week follow-up period and the other reported mild PLP occurring once each week of just a small fraction of his original pain (pretreatment: continuous PLP rated 10/10; posttreatment: no PLP at baseline with average of one PLP episode each week rated 2/10) for 12 weeks (lost to follow-up thereafter).A prolonged ambulatory CPNB may be a reliable treatment for intractable PLP. The results of this pilot study suggest that a large, randomized clinical trial is warranted.

SUBMITTER: Ilfeld BM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3696484 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Treating intractable phantom limb pain with ambulatory continuous peripheral nerve blocks: a pilot study.

Ilfeld Brian M BM Moeller-Bertram Tobias T Hanling Steven R SR Tokarz Kyle K Mariano Edward R ER Loland Vanessa J VJ Madison Sarah J SJ Ferguson Eliza J EJ Morgan Anya C AC Wallace Mark S MS

Pain medicine (Malden, Mass.) 20130314 6

<h4>Background</h4>There is currently no reliable treatment for phantom limb pain (PLP). Chronic PLP and associated cortical abnormalities may be maintained from abnormal peripheral input, raising the possibility that a continuous peripheral nerve block (CPNB) of extended duration may permanently reorganize cortical pain mapping, thus providing lasting relief.<h4>Methods</h4>Three men with below-the-knee (2) or -elbow (1) amputations and intractable PLP received femoral/sciatic or infraclavicula ...[more]

PMID: 23489466

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Project description:IntroductionWe previously reported that a 6-day continuous peripheral nerve block reduces established postamputation phantom pain. To provide patients and providers with the information to best inform treatment decisions, here we reanalyze the data and present the results in a more patient-centered format. We also provide information on patient-defined clinically relevant benefits to facilitate evaluation of available studies and guide future trial design.MethodsThe original trial enrolled participants with a limb amputation and phantom pain who were randomized to receive a 6-day continuous peripheral nerve block(s) of either ropivacaine (n=71) or saline (n=73) in a double-masked fashion. Here we calculate the percentage of each treatment group that experienced a clinically relevant improvement as defined by previous studies as well as present what the participants of our study defined as small, medium, and large analgesic improvements using the 7-point ordinal Patient Global Impression of Change scale.ResultsAmong patients who were given a 6-day ropivacaine infusion, 57% experienced at least a 2-point improvement on the 11-point numeric rating scale in their average and worst phantom pain 4 weeks postbaseline as compared with 26% (p<0.001) for average and 25% (p<0.001) for worst pain in patients given a placebo infusion. At 4 weeks, the percentage of participants rating their pain as improved was 53% for the active vs 30% for the placebo groups (95% CI 1.7 (1.1, 2.7), p=0.008). For all patients combined, the median (IQR) phantom pain Numeric Rating Scale improvements at 4 weeks considered small, medium, and large were 2 (0-2), 3 (2-5), and 5 (3-7), respectively. The median improvements in the Brief Pain Inventory interference subscale (0-70) associated with small, medium, and large analgesic changes were 8 (1-18), 22 (14-31), and 39 (26-47).ConclusionsAmong patients with postamputation phantom pain, a continuous peripheral nerve block more than doubles the chance of a clinically relevant improvement in pain intensity. Amputees with phantom and/or residual limb pain rate analgesic improvements as clinically relevant similarly to other chronic pain etiologies, although their smallest relevant improvement in the Brief Pain Inventory was significantly larger than previously published values.Trial registration numberNCT01824082.

Project description:BACKGROUND:We aimed to determine with this randomized, triple-masked, placebo-controlled study if benefits are afforded by adding a multiple-day, ambulatory, continuous ropivacaine paravertebral nerve block to a single-injection ropivacaine paravertebral block after mastectomy. METHODS:Preoperatively, 60 subjects undergoing unilateral (n = 24) or bilateral (n = 36) mastectomy received either unilateral or bilateral paravertebral perineural catheter(s), respectively, inserted between the third and fourth thoracic transverse process(es). All subjects received an initial bolus of ropivacaine 0.5% (15 mL) via the catheter(s). Subjects were randomized to receive either perineural ropivacaine 0.4% or normal saline using portable infusion pump(s) [5 mL/h basal; 300 mL reservoir(s)]. Subjects remained hospitalized for at least 1 night and were subsequently discharged home where the catheter(s) were removed on postoperative day (POD) 3. Subjects were contacted by telephone on PODs 1, 4, 8, and 28. The primary end point was average pain (scale, 0-10) queried on POD 1. RESULTS:Average pain queried on POD 1 for subjects receiving perineural ropivacaine (n = 30) was a median (interquartile) of 2 (0-3), compared with 4 (1-5) for subjects receiving saline (n = 30; 95% confidence interval difference in medians, -4.0 to -0.3; P = 0.021]. During this same period, subjects receiving ropivacaine experienced a lower severity of breakthrough pain (5 [3-6] vs 7 [5-8]; P = 0.046) as well. As a result, subjects receiving perineural ropivacaine experienced less pain-induced physical and emotional dysfunction, as measured with the Brief Pain Inventory (lower score = less dysfunction): 14 (4-37) versus 57 (8-67) for subjects receiving perineural saline (P = 0.012). For the subscale that measures the degree of interference of pain on 7 domains, such as general activity and relationships, subjects receiving perineural saline reported a median score 10 times higher (more dysfunction) than those receiving ropivacaine (3 [0-24] vs 33 [0-44]; P = 0.035). In contrast, after infusion discontinuation, there were no statistically significant differences detected between treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS:After mastectomy, adding a multiple-day, ambulatory, continuous ropivacaine infusion to a single-injection ropivacaine paravertebral nerve block results in improved analgesia and less functional deficit during the infusion. However, no benefits were identified after infusion discontinuation.

Project description:BackgroundVarious nerve blocks with local anaesthetic agents have been used to reduce pain after hip fracture and subsequent surgery. This review was published originally in 1999 and was updated in 2001, 2002, 2009 and 2017.ObjectivesThis review focuses on the use of peripheral nerves blocks as preoperative analgesia, as postoperative analgesia or as a supplement to general anaesthesia for hip fracture surgery. We undertook the update to look for new studies and to update the methods to reflect Cochrane standards.Search methodsFor the updated review, we searched the following databases: the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL; 2016, Issue 8), MEDLINE (Ovid SP, 1966 to August week 1 2016), Embase (Ovid SP, 1988 to 2016 August week 1) and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) (EBSCO, 1982 to August week 1 2016), as well as trial registers and reference lists of relevant articles.Selection criteriaWe included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving use of nerve blocks as part of the care provided for adults aged 16 years and older with hip fracture.Data collection and analysisTwo review authors independently assessed new trials for inclusion, determined trial quality using the Cochrane tool and extracted data. When appropriate, we pooled results of outcome measures. We rated the quality of evidence according to the GRADE Working Group approach.Main resultsWe included 31 trials (1760 participants; 897 randomized to peripheral nerve blocks and 863 to no regional blockade). Results of eight trials with 373 participants show that peripheral nerve blocks reduced pain on movement within 30 minutes of block placement (standardized mean difference (SMD) -1.41, 95% confidence interval (CI) -2.14 to -0.67; equivalent to -3.4 on a scale from 0 to 10; I2 = 90%; high quality of evidence). Effect size was proportionate to the concentration of local anaesthetic used (P < 0.00001). Based on seven trials with 676 participants, we did not find a difference in the risk of acute confusional state (risk ratio (RR) 0.69, 95% CI 0.38 to 1.27; I2 = 48%; very low quality of evidence). Three trials with 131 participants reported decreased risk for pneumonia (RR 0.41, 95% CI 0.19 to 0.89; I2 = 3%; number needed to treat for an additional beneficial outcome (NNTB) 7, 95% CI 5 to 72; moderate quality of evidence). We did not find a difference in risk of myocardial ischaemia or death within six months, but the number of participants included was well below the optimal information size for these two outcomes. Two trials with 155 participants reported that peripheral nerve blocks also reduced time to first mobilization after surgery (mean difference -11.25 hours, 95% CI -14.34 to -8.15 hours; I2 = 52%; moderate quality of evidence). One trial with 75 participants indicated that the cost of analgesic drugs was lower when they were given as a single shot block (SMD -3.48, 95% CI -4.23 to -2.74; moderate quality of evidence).Authors' conclusionsHigh-quality evidence shows that regional blockade reduces pain on movement within 30 minutes after block placement. Moderate-quality evidence shows reduced risk for pneumonia, decreased time to first mobilization and cost reduction of the analgesic regimen (single shot blocks).

Project description:To evaluate the potential effect of radiofrequency ablation and deep brain stimulation in patients with treatment-refractory Tourette syndrome (TS), this study enrolled thirteen patients with TS who were admitted to our hospital between August 2002 and September 2018. Four patients received a single- or multi-target radiofrequency ablation after local, potentiated, or general anesthesia; eight patients underwent deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery; and one patient underwent both ablation and DBS surgery. The severity of tics and obsessive compulsive disorder symptoms and the quality of life were evaluated using the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS), Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (YBOCS), and Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome Quality of Life scale (GTS-QOL), respectively, before surgery, one month after surgery, and at the final follow-up after surgery, which was conducted in December 2018. A paired-sample t test and a multiple linear regression analysis were performed to analyze the data. All patients underwent the operation successfully without any severe complications. Overall, the YGTSS total scores at one month post-surgery (44.1 ± 22.3) and at the final visit (35.1 ± 23.7) were significantly decreased compared with those at baseline (75.1 ± 6.2; both p < 0.05). Additionally, the YBOCS scores at one month post-surgery (16.5 ± 10.1) and at the final visit (12.0 ± 9.5) were significantly decreased compared with those at baseline (22.5 ± 13.1; both p < 0.05). Furthermore, the GTS-QOL scores at one month post-surgery (44.0 ± 12.8) and at the final visit (31.0 ± 17.8) were significantly decreased compared with those at baseline (58.4 ± 14.2; both p < 0.05). Results from a multiple linear regression analysis revealed that the improvement in the YGTSS total score was independently associated with the improvement in the GTS-QOL score at one month post-surgery (standardized β = 0.716, p = 0.023) and at the final visit (standardized β = 1.064, p = 0.000). Conversely, changes in YBOCS scores did not correlate with changes in GTS-QOL scores (p > 0.05). Our results demonstrate that tics, psychiatric symptoms, and the quality of life in patients with intractable TS may be relieved by stereotactic ablation surgery and deep brain stimulation. Furthermore, it appears that the improvement in tics contributes more to the post-operative quality of life of patients than does the improvement in obsessive compulsive symptoms.

Project description:Currently, there is neither a standardized mode for the documentation of phantom sensations and phantom limb pain, nor for their visualization as perceived by patients. We have therefore created a tool that allows for both, as well as for the quantification of the patient's visible and invisible body image. A first version provides the principal functions: (1) Adapting a 3D avatar for self-identification of the patient; (2) modeling the shape of the phantom limb; (3) adjusting the position of the phantom limb; (4) drawing pain and cramps directly onto the avatar; and (5) quantifying their respective intensities. Our tool (C.A.L.A.) was evaluated with 33 occupational therapists, physiotherapists, and other medical staff. Participants were presented with two cases in which the appearance and the position of the phantom had to be modeled and pain and cramps had to be drawn. The usability of the software was evaluated using the System Usability Scale and its functional range was evaluated using a self-developed questionnaire and semi-structured interview. In addition, our tool was evaluated on 22 patients with limb amputations. For each patient, body image as well as phantom sensation and pain were modeled to evaluate the software's functional scope. The accuracy of the created body image was evaluated using a self-developed questionnaire and semi-structured interview. Additionally, pain sensation was assessed using the SF-McGill Pain Questionnaire. The System Usability Scale reached a level of 81%, indicating high usability. Observing the participants, though, identified several operational difficulties. While the provided functions were considered useful by most participants, the semi-structured interviews revealed the need for an improved pain documentation component. In conclusion, our tool allows for an accurate visualization of phantom limbs and phantom limb sensations. It can be used as both a descriptive and quantitative documentation tool for analyzing and monitoring phantom limbs. Thus, it can help to bridge the gap between the therapist's conception and the patient's perception. Based on the collected requirements, an improved version with extended functionality will be developed.

Dataset Information

Treating intractable phantom limb pain with ambulatory continuous peripheral nerve blocks: a pilot study.

Publications

Treating intractable phantom limb pain with ambulatory continuous peripheral nerve blocks: a pilot study.

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