Nerve Block Efficacy and Safety for Acute Thoracic Herpes Zoster: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background: Acute zoster-related pain affects more than 90% of patients with acute herpes zoster. While nerve blocks with local anesthetics and steroids are commonly used to manage acute postoperative and chronic pain, their efficacy and safety in treating acute herpes zoster remain underexplored.

Objectives: Our systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of various nerve blocks for managing acute herpes zoster.

Establishing an Electrophysiological Recording Platform for Epidural Spinal Cord Stimulation in Neuropathic Pain Rats.

Purpose: Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is pivotal in treating chronic intractable pain. To elucidate the mechanism of action among conventional and current novel types of SCSs, a stable and reliable electrophysiology model in the consensus animals to mimic human SCS treatment is essential. We have recently developed a new in vivo implantable pulsed-ultrahigh-frequency (pUHF) SCS platform for conducting behavioral and electrophysiological studies in rats.

Beyond traditional therapies: a network meta-analysis on the treatment efficacy for chronic phantom limb pain.

Background: Phantom limb pain (PLP) frequently affects individuals with limb amputations. When PLP evolves into its chronic phase, known as chronic PLP, traditional therapies often fall short in providing sufficient relief. The optimal intervention for chronic PLP remains unclear.

Efficacy of epidural analgesia for intractable cancer pain: A systematic review.

Background: Epidural analgesia is a common technique for managing perioperative and obstetric pain. Patients with cancer who cannot tolerate opioids or not responding to conventional treatment may benefit from epidural analgesia. Therefore, this systematic review aimed to analyze the efficacy and safety of epidural analgesia in patients with intractable cancer pain.

Novel Pulsed Ultrahigh-frequency Spinal Cord Stimulation Inhibits Mechanical Hypersensitivity and Brain Neuronal Activity in Rats after Nerve Injury.

Background: Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is an important pain treatment modality. This study hypothesized that a novel pulsed ultrahigh-frequency spinal cord stimulation (pUHF-SCS) could safely and effectively inhibit spared nerve injury-induced neuropathic pain in rats.

Methods: Epidural pUHF-SCS (± 3V, 2-Hz pulses comprising 500-kHz biphasic sinewaves) was implanted at the thoracic vertebrae (T9 to T11).

Intubation difficulty scale contributors and time delay in clinical practice.

The intubation difficulty scale (IDS) includes 7 contributors that provide a comprehensive assessment of difficult intubation. However, the effect of each contributor is unclear, and the scale has not been revalidated recently and has not been validated in orient. This study determined the duration of successful intubation (DSI) for each of these 7 contributors.

An initial learning experience of tracheal intubation with video laryngoscope: Experiences from a novice PGY.

Tracheal intubation is an essential technique for many healthcare professionals and one of the mega code simulations in advanced cardiac life support. In recent years, video laryngoscopy (VL) has provided a rescue for difficult airways during intubation and has proven to have higher success rates. Moreover, VL facilitates a more rapid learning curve for inexperienced doctors.

High-frequency spinal cord stimulation treatment attenuates the increase in spinal glutamate release and spinal miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents in rats with spared nerve injury-induced neuropathic pain.

High-frequency spinal cord stimulation (HFSCS) at 10 kHz provides paresthesia-free treatment for chronic pain. However, the underlying mechanisms of its action have not been fully elucidated. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of HFSCS treatment on spinal glutamate release and uptake in spared nerve injury (SNI) rats.

Early high-frequency spinal cord stimulation treatment inhibited the activation of spinal mitogen-activated protein kinases and ameliorated spared nerve injury-induced neuropathic pain in rats.

Background: Neuromodulation therapies offer a treatment option that has minimal side effects and is relatively safe and potentially reversible. Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has been used to treat various pain conditions for many decades. High-frequency SCS (HFSCS) involves the application of a single waveform at 10,000 Hz at a subthreshold level, therefore providing pain relief without any paresthesia.

Combination therapy with extracorporeal shock wave and melatonin markedly attenuated neuropathic pain in rat.

This study tested the hypothesis that combination therapy using extracorporeal shock wave (ECSW)-melatonin (Mel) was superior to either alone at ameliorating neuropathic pain (NP). NP was induced by chronic constriction injury (CCI) to the left sciatic nerve in rats. Animals were categorized into sham control (group 1), CCI only (group 2), CCI-ECSW (group 3), CCI-Mel (group 4) and CCI-ECSW-Mel (group 5).

Continuous Intrathecal Infusion of Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists Attenuates Nerve Ligation-Induced Pain in Rats.

Background And Objectives: Cannabinoid receptors (CB1R/CB2R) are known to play important roles in pain transmission. In this study, we investigated the effects of continuous intrathecal infusion of CB1/2R agonists in the L5/6 spinal nerve ligation pain model.

Methods: Under isoflurane anesthesia, rats received nerve ligation and intrathecal catheter connected to an infusion pump.

Pulsed radiofrequency attenuates diabetic neuropathic pain and suppresses formalin-evoked spinal glutamate release in rats.

Background: Pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) has been used to treat chronic pain for years, but its effectiveness and mechanism in treating diabetic neuropathic pain are still unexplored. The aim of this study was to elucidate the modulation of diabetic neuropathic pain induced by streptozotocin and the release of spinal excitatory amino acids by PRF.

Methods: Diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal administration of streptozotocin.

Pulsed Radiofrequency Attenuates Complete Freund's Adjuvant-Induced Epigenetic Suppression of Potassium Chloride Cotransporter 2 Expression.

Background: Pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) treatment offers pain relief for patients suffering from chronic pain who do not respond well to conventional treatments. We tested whether PRF treatment attenuated complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced inflammatory pain. Epigenetic modification of potassium-chloride cotransporter 2 (KCC2) gene expression was examined to elucidate the potential contributing mechanism.

Reduction of spinal glycine receptor-mediated miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents in streptozotocin-induced diabetic neuropathic pain.

Diabetic neuropathic pain (DNP) is a common clinical problem, and the mechanisms underlying the onset and progression of this complication are poorly understood. The present study examined the glycine receptors (GlyR) in the control of synaptic input to dorsal horn neurons in diabetes. Male Sprague-Dawley rats with or without streptozotocin (STZ) intraperitoneal injections were used.

Intrathecal miR-183 delivery suppresses mechanical allodynia in mononeuropathic rats.

Members of the miR-183 family are unique in that they are highly abundant in sensory organs. In a recent study, significant downregulation was observed for miR-96 and miR-183 in the L5 dorsal root ganglion (DRG) 2 weeks after spinal nerve ligation (SNL). In this study, we focused on miR-183, which is the most regulated member of the miR-183 family, to look at the specific role on neuropathic pain.

Pulsed radiofrequency reduced complete Freund's adjuvant-induced mechanical hyperalgesia via the spinal c-Jun N-terminal kinase pathway.

Pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) treatment involves the pulsed application of a radiofrequency electric field to a nerve. The technology offers pain relief for patients suffering from chronic pain who do not respond well to conventional treatments. We tested whether PRF treatment attenuated complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) induced inflammatory pain.

Epigenetic histone methylation regulates transforming growth factor β-1 expression following bile duct ligation in rats.

Background: Multiple mechanisms contribute to the liver fibrosis following cholestasis. Recent research has focused on the role of transforming growth factor β-1 (TGF-β1) in the progression of fibrosis. The aim of our study is to examine the role of epigenetic chromatin marks, such as histone H3 lysine methylation (H3Kme), in bile duct ligation (BDL)-induced TGF-β1 gene expression in rat liver.

Altered mitochondrial ATP synthase expression in the rat dorsal root ganglion after sciatic nerve injury and analgesic effects of intrathecal ATP.

Mitochondrial ATP synthase has multiple interdependent biological functions in neurons. Among them, ATP generation and regulation are the most important. The present study investigated whether the expression of mitochondrial ATP synthase correlates with symptoms of neuropathic pain in adult rats after axotomy, and whether intrathecal ATP administration is therapeutic in these neuropathic rats.

Pulsed radiofrequency treatment attenuates increases in spinal excitatory amino acid release in rats with adjuvant-induced mechanical allodynia.

Excitatory amino acids (EAAs) play a critical role in the development of peripheral tactile and thermal hypersensitivity after the induction of paw inflammation in rats. We used a spinal microdialysis model to examine the effect of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced inflammation on the spinal release of EAAs and assessed the antinociceptive effect of pulsed radiofrequency (PRF). CFA was injected into the plantar surface of the left hind paw to induce inflammation.

Anesthetic breathing circuit obstruction mimicking severe bronchospasm: an unusual manufacturing defect.

We report an unexpected ventilation difficulty with an anesthetic breathing circuit in a pediatric patient receiving left herniorrhaphy. A manufacturing defect in a limb of the anesthetic breathing circuit caused this problem. This defect induced a high-pitched, wheezing-like sound, which was difficult to differentiate from a hyper-reactive airway, commonly seen in pediatric patients with recent upper respiratory tract infection.

Effects of cyclosporine, tacrolimus and rapamycin on renal calcium transport and vitamin D metabolism.

Background: Abnormalities in mineral metabolism are common complications of organ transplantation. The role of immunosuppressive agents in alteration of mineral metabolism is not clear.

Methods: We conducted an animal study to investigate the effects of cyclosporine A (CsA), tacrolimus, and sirolimus on renal calcium, magnesium and vitamin D metabolism.

GADD45A protects against cell death in dorsal root ganglion neurons following peripheral nerve injury.

A significant loss of neurons in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) has been reported in animal models of peripheral nerve injury. Neonatal sensory neurons are more susceptible than adult neurons to axotomy- or nerve growth factor (NGF) withdrawal-induced cell death. To develop therapies for preventing irreversible sensory cell loss, it is essential to understand the molecular mechanisms responsible for DRG cell death and survival.

Sonoporation-mediated gene transfer into adult rat dorsal root ganglion cells.

Background: Gene transfer into many cell types has been successfully used to develop alternative and adjunct approaches to conventional medical treatment. However, effective transfection of postmitotic neurons remains a challenge. The aim of this study was to develop a method for gene transfer into rat primary dorsal root ganglion neurons using sonoporation.

Altered neuronatin expression in the rat dorsal root ganglion after sciatic nerve transection.

Background: Several molecular changes occur following axotomy, such as gene up-regulation and down-regulation. In our previous study using Affymetrix arrays, it was found that after the axotomy of sciatic nerve, there were many novel genes with significant expression changes. Among them, neuronatin (Nnat) was the one which expression was significantly up-regulated.