An appraisal of the ethical issues involved in high-technology cancer pain relief.

...We will turn our attention to the current state of pain relief technology and the ethical questions surrounding the use of advanced technology, otherwise referred to as "high-tech," pain relief. It is obvious that pain may decrease the quality of life for cancer patients. The availability of long-acting narcotics, such as MS Contin or methadone, affords cancer patients long-duration pain relief at minimal cost. The use of adjuvant medications may also be important. Clinical examples of the effective use of adjuvant medications include the addition of a nonsteroidal, anti-inflammatory agent to help patients cope with bone pain and the use of a serotonin blocking agent to reduce the transmission of pain impulses in the spinal cord. Only a small percentage of patients are good candidates for high-tech delivery systems for narcotic administration. In our pain management clinic, all patients are initially placed on oral medications. When the side effects of oral medications become excessive, or the patient becomes unable to take oral medications, high-tech modalities are considered for use.

Thoracoscopic thoracic splanchnicectomy for chronic pancreatitis with intractable abdominal pain.

The therapeutic advantages of a thoracoscopic thoracic splanchnicectomy (TTS) to relieve the pain of chronic pancreatitis patients was evaluated. The TTS procedure (four bilateral and five unilateral TTS), was performed on nine patients from April 1993 to October 1995. Based on radiographic images, the pancreatic duct of seven cases were diagnosed as being "nondilated" (<3 mm), whereas two cases were "dilated" (> or = 3 mm). A 5-mm thoracoscope was introduced through the fifth intercostal space on the anterior axillary line, and an additional two cannulas were introduced under direct thoracoscopic vision. The sympathetic chain, at a level from Th 5 to 9, was then resected and electrocoagulated. We performed a unilateral TTS corresponding to the symptomatic side; however, if pain relief was insufficient, an additional sympathectomy was done on the other side. The early postoperative course was uneventful, and immediate pain-relief was normally possible after TTS except for three patients who demonstrated minor intercostal neuralgia at the site of the trocars inserted for TTS. Six of nine patients were able to return to their preoperative work of lifestyle at a maximum follow-up of 24 months (the median and mean durations were 15.0 and 13.7 months, respectively). In addition, no postoperative deterioration of either the endocrine or exocrine function of the pancreas was observed. In conclusion, TTS proved to be a safe and reliable procedure for the pain relief of the chronic pancreatitis.

Efficacy of percutaneous vertebroplasty in the treatment of intravertebral pseudarthrosis associated with noninfected avascular necrosis of the vertebral body.

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective clinical study on the effect of percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) in the treatment of intravertebral pseudarthrosis caused by avascular necrosis of a vertebral body. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy of PVP in the treatment of spinal instability associated with avascular necrosis. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Two radiologic features of avascular necrosis of a vertebral body are intravertebral vacuum phenomenon and fluid collection, combined with a collapsed vertebra. These can sometimes result in dynamic instability due to intravertebral pseudarthrosis. A treatment for this instability, associated with avascular necrosis, has not been established. METHOD: Sixteen patients with instability, associated with avascular necrosis of a vertebral body, were treated by PVP. The indicators of the condition included spinal instability associated with avascular necrosis, which was diagnosed by a vacuum phenomenon or by fluid collection in the vertebral body as found from imaging studies. The instability of the vertebral body was confirmed from the dynamic lateral view in both flexion and extension. The anterior body height and kyphotic angle changes between pre- and post-treatment were measured on a lateral radiograph. Plain radiography was used during the follow-up period (8-14 months; mean, 11 months) to assess the vertebral column stability. The pain level of each patient was assessed, both before and after the procedure, using a visual analog scale (VAS), ranging from 0 to 10. Marked or complete pain relief was achieved in eight (50%) patients, and moderate pain relief in six (38%), with the immediate postoperative average pain score reduced from 9.0 to 4.3. The mean corrected angle and vertebral height between pre- and post-treatment were 8.5 degrees and 7.0 mm (P =0.001), respectively. There was no significant change in the kyphotic angle of the treated level during the follow-up period (P =0.711). CONCLUSIONS: Percutaneous vertebroplasty is a reasonable procedure for the treatment of spinal instability associated with avascular necrosis, but not that caused by an infection. PVP was found to be a minimally invasive and effective procedure that provides pain relief and stabilization of spinal instability associated with noninfected avascular necrosis of the vertebral body.

Near-total pancreatectomy for chronic pancreatitis.

Eighty-seven patients underwent distal subtotal or near-total (80% to 95%) pancreatectomy (NTP) during a 25-year period for management of intractable pain resulting from chronic pancreatitis. Alcoholism affected the majority of patients and 20% of cases were idiopathic in origin. Ten patients (12%) exhibited insulin-requiring diabetes before operation. The perioperative mortality rate was 3.4%. Significant improvement or complete pain relief was achieved in 75% of patients while 14% remained narcotic dependent. Forty-four patients (51%) required insulin postoperatively, with an average insulin requirement of 35 U per day. Thirty late deaths occurred 2 to 15 years after operation, 12 (40%) of which were related to complications of pancreatic insufficiency or persistent alcoholism. Five patients (8.5%) required completion pancreatectomy 6 months to 4 years after NTP for complications relating to persistent pancreatitis. NTP provides effective pain relief in the majority of patients with chronic pancreatitis. While this procedure can be performed with a low operative mortality rate, the high incidence of endocrine and exocrine insufficiency after operation may contribute to late deaths. Consequently, this procedure should be performed only when the underlying disease has functionally destroyed the pancreas or when lesser procedures have failed to provide adequate pain relief.

Long-term pain relief produced by intrathecal morphine infusion in 53 patients.

The present report details the characteristics of the analgesic effects of morphine administered chronically by infusion pumps implanted in 53 patients suffering from terminal metastatic disease. The median postimplant survival time in these patients was 4 months. Patients (mean age 58 years) were characterized according to the duration of pain before pump implantation (mean 16 months), prior consumption of systemic opioids (mean one to six daily analgesic equivalents of morphine), and their response to a trial intrathecal dose of morphine (1 to 2 mg). The median infusion dose at 2 weeks was 3.8 mg/day. The analgesic index, calculated as (quality of pain relief x duration of pain relief in hours)/morphine dose in mg, that was observed after the trial dose of morphine was determined for each patient. A close correlation was observed between the acute (2-week) infusion dose necessary to produce pain relief and the analgesic index such that the infusion dose = -8.0 x log (analgesic index) + 17.1. By 16 weeks, the mean spinal morphine dose for the group had increased by a factor of about 2.5; however, significant variation in the dose incrementation was documented. The maximum increase was observed in patients with a low analgesic index, and this rapid incrementation was usually correlated with an unsatisfactory overall outcome. Evidence that long-term infusion continues to yield analgesia was evidenced in six cases where there was an unanticipated loss of drug infusion and a corresponding increase in parenteral narcotic consumption. These data indicate the long-term efficacy and safety of spinal opioid infusion in patients with terminal cancer, and emphasize the advantage of assessing the sensitivity of the patient to spinal opioids by a standardized trial injection prior to pump placement as a prognostic indication of outcome.

Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) with codeine for postoperative pain relief in ten extensive metabolisers and one poor metaboliser of dextromethorphan.

Postoperative pain relief with codeine was evaluated in 11 women undergoing hysterectomy. Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) was used to administer codeine. After the study the patients were phenotyped with respect to the O-demethylation of dextromethorphan (cytochrome P4502D6 polymorphism). Ten were extensive metabolisers and one a poor metaboliser. There was a nine-fold variation in the minimum plasma concentration of codeine consistent with pain relief (40-350 ng ml-1). Two patients did not experience any effect of codeine, one of whom was a poor metaboliser of dextromethorphan, confirmed by genotyping. In the other nine patients the effective dose of codeine varied from 4.8-25.3 mg h-1.

Patient expectations for pain relief in the ED.

The objective of the study was to assess patient expectations for pain relief in the ED. A convenience sample of 522 patients with pain and 144 patients without pain were enrolled in a prospective observational study at a university ED. Patients reported a mean expectation for pain relief of 72 % (95% CI 70-74). Eighteen percent expected complete (100%) pain relief in the ED. Patient expectations for pain relief were poorly correlated (r = 0.150) with initial pain intensity. Patients without pain reported a mean expectation for pain relief of 74% (95% CI 71-77) if they had presented with pain. There were no differences in patient expectations for pain relief based on age or gender. Patients expect a large percentage of their pain to be relieved in the ED, and many expect complete analgesia. Patient expectations for pain relief do not vary based on age, gender or pain intensity.

Epidural morphine for postoperative pain relief: a dose-response curve.

Different doses of epidural morphine were studied in order to determine their effectiveness in providing postoperative pain relief after surgery of the lower extremities and their relationship to the incidence of untoward reactions. The study was carried out in a double-blind fashion using five dosages of epidural morphine (0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, and 8.0 mg) and included 60 patients. The higher doses of morphine (2.0, 4.0, and 8.0 mg) were equally effective and more effective than the lower doses (0.5 and 1.0 mg) in providing postoperative analgesia. Nausea and vomiting were encountered more frequently with the highest dose (8.0 mg) and this finding was statistically significant (P less than 0.03). No statistically significant difference was found between the doses studied with regard to itching, urinary retention, and respiratory depression; the latter was evaluated in a subgroup of 20 patients. These data suggest that effective postoperative pain relief after surgery of the lower extremities can be achieved with relatively low doses of morphine sulfate and with minimal side effects. For the type of surgery studied, 2 mg morphine sulfate appeared to be the optimum dose.

Neonatal circumcision and pain relief: current training practices.

OBJECTIVE: We conducted a national survey of pediatric, family practice, and obstetrics and gynecology residency program directors to determine the curriculum content and predominant practices in US training programs with regard to neonatal circumcision and anesthesia/analgesia for the procedure. METHODS: Residency directors of accredited programs were surveyed in two mailings of a forced response and short answer survey (response rate: 680/914, 74%; pediatrics 83%; family practice 72%; obstetrics 71%). RESULTS: Pediatric residents were less likely than family practice [odds ratio (OR), 0.04; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.02-0.08] or obstetrical (OR, 0.14; 95% CI, 0.08-0.23) residents to be taught circumcision. Training and local custom were rated as important determinants of medical responsibility for neonatal circumcision. Pediatric residents training in programs in which community pediatricians perform circumcisions were more likely to learn circumcision (OR, 39.0; 95% CI, 14.3-110.6) as were obstetric residents (OR, 79.0; 95% CI, 22.4-306.4) training in programs in which community obstetricians perform circumcision. In programs that teach circumcision, pediatric (84%; OR, 3.4; 95% CI, 1.7-7.1) and family practice (80%; OR, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.7-4.2) programs were more likely than obstetric programs (60%) to teach analgesia/anesthesia techniques to relieve procedural pain. Overall, 26% of programs that taught circumcision failed to provide instruction in anesthesia/analgesia for the procedure. Significant regional variations in training in circumcision and analgesia/anesthesia techniques were noted within and across medical specialties. CONCLUSIONS: Residency training standards are not consistent for pediatric, family practice, and obstetrical residents with regard to neonatal circumcision or instruction in analgesia/anesthesia for the procedure. Training with regard to pain relief is clearly inadequate for what remains a common surgical procedure in the United States. Given the overwhelming evidence that neonatal circumcision is painful and the existence of safe and effective anesthesia/analgesia methods, residency training in neonatal circumcision should include instruction in pain relief techniques.

Caudal anesthesia combined with general anesthesia in comparison with general anesthesia in ambulatory circumcision

In 100 boys (5.9 +/- 3.2 years old) undergoing outpatient circumcision, analgesia was provided with 0.375% bupivacaine 1 ml/year of age by caudal injection (group I), administered after induction of general anesthesia. This group was compared with 100 boys (6.3 +/- 3.4 years old), who received only general anesthesia (group II). The puncture technique described was free of complications and the caudal blocks were 98% successful. There was a great difference with regard to the levels of general anesthesia: the average enflurane concentrations required to block autonomic reactions during surgical intervention was 1.3 vol% in group I and 2.7 vol% in group II. The amount of pethidine needed for perioperative pain relief was 8 mg (+/- 5.7) in 17/100 of group I and 17.3 mg (+/- 6.8) in 91/100 of group II. In addition, paracetamol was given in 10/100 of group I and 30/100 of group II. The boys in group I showed calm postoperative behavior. In both groups there were only slight differences in hemodynamic parameters. Of the parents who answered our questionnaire (50 answers to 60 questionnaires), 68% were amazed at the duration of analgesia. During the late postoperative period, in group I there was an almost total absence of vomiting (4%), with an associated rapid return to normal feeding. In 83% the effect of late postoperative analgesia worked so well that no subsequent analgesic was given. In 15% the pain relief lasted 6.3 +/- 2.5 h. The excellent postoperative pain relief produced by caudal anesthesia justifies its frequent use for children subjected to genital surgery.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)