Spinal Cord stimulation (SCS) and intrathecal drug delivery systems (IDDS) are becoming increasingly important in the management of chronic pain. It will be progressively more common for the anesthesia team to encounter patients with these devices. This article aims to discuss possible concerns regarding the management of patients with SCS and IDDS in the perioperative … [Read more...] about Spinal Cord Stimulators and Intrathecal Pumps: Anesthetic Considerations, Perioperative Evaluation, and Management
By Elysha Dinh, MD
Fellow, Pain Management, PM&R
VCU, Richmond, VA
and Robert J. Trainer DO, MBA
Anesthesiologist and Pain Management Physician
Director, Spinal Cord Stimulator Program, CVHCS
Richmond, VA
Pain Medicine
Spinal Cord Stimulators and Intrathecal Pumps: Anesthetic Considerations, Perioperative Evaluation, and Management
ERAS Pain Control Protocol Explained
By Lynda T. Wells, MBBS
Associate Professor of Anesthesiology
University of Virginia
Charlottesville VA
The significance of pain control in enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) was first described by George Washington Crile in 1912. He observed that outcomes for patients who received ether anesthesia alone for surgery did very poorly compared to those who also received nitrous oxide and/or morphine. The best outcomes, he noted, were in patients who received cocaine nerve blocks … [Read more...] about ERAS Pain Control Protocol Explained
By Lynda T. Wells, MBBS
Associate Professor of Anesthesiology
University of Virginia
Charlottesville VA
The Influence of Sex, Gender, and the “X” Chromosome on the Pain Management Experience
By Chinwe Anumudu, MD
Chief Anesthesiology Resident
Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, VA
and Denise D. Lester, MD
Anesthesiologist and Pain Physician
Assistant Professor Anesthesiology and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
VCU/ MCV/CVHCS
Richmond, VA
The patient-specific individual experience and treatment of pain is currently a highly debated point of discussion. No longer are pain management consultants using a “standardized” concept to manage pain in their patients.
It is well known that many variables such as our personal immune system and our individual unique gene expressions alter our pain experience even when … [Read more...] about The Influence of Sex, Gender, and the “X” Chromosome on the Pain Management Experience
By Chinwe Anumudu, MD
Chief Anesthesiology Resident
Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, VA
and Denise D. Lester, MD
Anesthesiologist and Pain Physician
Assistant Professor Anesthesiology and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
VCU/ MCV/CVHCS
Richmond, VA
Access to Interventional Pain Management in Virginia
By Gabriel Beluchukwu, MD
Anesthesiology Research Resident
Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, VA
In Virginia, like the rest of the country, pain is one of the most common causes of medical consultation. Pain can be either acute or chronic. Acute pain is the sudden onset of pain sensation triggered by the nervous system secondary to specific events like accident injuries, surgical site pain, child labor and delivery, etc. Acute pain usually resolves following adequate … [Read more...] about Access to Interventional Pain Management in Virginia
By Gabriel Beluchukwu, MD
Anesthesiology Research Resident
Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, VA
The Opioid Crisis: Four years later
By Matthew D. Riley, MD
Resident Physician
Department of Anesthesiology
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA
With opioid prescriptions and opioid overdoses rising over the last decade and physicians across the country expressing concern, a public health emergency was declared in 2016. The CDC released new prescribing guidelines in efforts to reduce the numbers of opioid prescriptions and doses of narcotics available. Over four years later where do we stand?
Together we have made … [Read more...] about The Opioid Crisis: Four years later
By Matthew D. Riley, MD
Resident Physician
Department of Anesthesiology
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA