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Neuromodulation for the Management of Chronic Pain After Spinal Surgery

Teaser: 

Vishal Varshney MD FRCPC,1 Jill Osborn PhD, MD, FRCPC,2 Philippe Magown PhD, MD, FRCSC,3 Scott Paquette MEd, MD, FRCSC,4 Ramesh Sahjpaul MD, MSc, FRCSC,5

1Department of Anesthesia, Providence Healthcare, Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
2Department of Anesthesia, Providence Healthcare, Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
3Department of Surgery, Section of Neurosurgery, University of Manitoba, Health Sciences Centre, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
4Department of Anesthesia, Providence Healthcare, Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
5Department of Anesthesia, Providence Healthcare, Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia,  Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

CLINICAL TOOLS

Abstract: Chronic neuropathic pain is associated with substantial disability and societal economic impact. Formerly called Failed Back Surgery Syndrome, and now labelled as Chronic Pain after Spinal Surgery by the ICD-11, this entity represents persistent neuropathic leg pain following structurally corrective spinal surgery, often refractory to pharmacological and interventional management,. In appropriately selected patients where medical management has been unsuccessful, the minimally invasive surgical technique of spinal cord stimulation can reduce disability and pain. Technological advances continue to improve this approach with greater success, lessened morbidity, and expanding indications.
Key Words: chronic pain after spinal surgery, failed back surgery syndrome, neuropathic pain, spinal cord stimulation, neuromodulation.

Members of the College of Family Physicians of Canada may claim MAINPRO-M2 Credits for this unaccredited educational program.

www.cfpc.ca/Mainpro_M2

You can take quizzes without subscribing; however, your results will not be stored. Subscribers will have access to their quiz results for future reference.

Pre-test CME Quiz Post-test CME Quiz
1. Managing chronic pain after spinal surgery is a challenging and requires combined pharmacological and interventional options.
2. Spinal cord stimulation is a modality with strong evidence to supports its efficacy in the management of patients with chronic pain after spinal surgery.
3. The workup of patients with chronic pain after spinal surgery must include multi-tier pharmacological approaches, psychological optimization, and structural spinal assessment from a multidisciplinary group of clinicians.
Neuropathic pain is defined as pain caused by a lesion or disease of the somatosensory nervous system1. Spontaneous features include burning pain and tightness with unpredictable lancinating features.
The mechanism of spinal cord stimulation involves multiple sites within the central and peripheral nervous system. SCS can influence levels of cerebrospinal fluid neurotransmitters including increases in GABA, serotonin, Substance-P, norepinephrine, acetylcholine, and adenosine, and decreases in glutamate and aspartate.
The differential target multiplexed (paresthesia-free) spinal cord stimulation programs appear superior to the older standard paresthesia-based approach.
To have access to full article that these tools were developed for, please subscribe. The cost to subscribe is $80 USD per year and you will gain full access to all the premium content on www.healthplexus.net, an educational portal, that hosts 1000s of clinical reviews, case studies, educational visual aids and more as well as within the mobile app.
Related Terms: Back Health, failed back surgery syndrome, neuropathic pain, spinal cord stimulation, neuromodulation, chronic pain after spinal surgery

Urticaria: A Brief Review

Teaser: 

Yvonne Deng,1 Amir Gohari,2 Joseph M. Lam, MD, FRCPC,3

1Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
2Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
3Department of Pediatrics, Department of Dermatology and Skin Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

CLINICAL TOOLS

Abstract: Urticaria is a common, mast cell-driven disorder that presents with transient wheals, angioedema, or both. Clinically, it is classified into acute or chronic, depending on the duration of symptoms, and further classified by the presence or absence of inducible stimuli. Although urticaria is rarely life-threatening, it can reduce quality of life and carry significant socioeconomic burden on patients. While there is no cure to the disease, the treatment algorithm for urticaria focusses on the control of symptoms with antihistamines as the mainstay of therapy and immunosuppressive/immunomodulating therapies for severe cases.
Key Words: urticaria; pediatric urticaria; angioedema; acute urticaria; chronic spontaneous urticaria.

Members of the College of Family Physicians of Canada may claim MAINPRO-M2 Credits for this unaccredited educational program.

www.cfpc.ca/Mainpro_M2

You can take quizzes without subscribing; however, your results will not be stored. Subscribers will have access to their quiz results for future reference.

Pre-test CME Quiz Post-test CME Quiz
Urticaria is a common pruritic condition that is divided into acute or chronic forms. It can be idiopathic or inducible by triggers that including foods, medications, infections, environmental factors, physical stimuli, and medications.
Acute and chronic urticaria are clinical diagnoses guided by a detailed history and physical examination, and diagnostic testing is not routinely indicated, unless clinical suspicion warrants exclusion of underlying causes.
Pathogenesis of urticaria involves mast cells and subsequent release of histamines and proinflammatory mediators that result in sensory nerve activation, vasodilatation, and plasma extravasation with leukocyte recruitment to lesions.
Second-generation, non-sedating H1-antihistamines are the mainstay of treatment for all types of urticaria and dosed up to fourfold to achieve adequate control.
Individual wheals typically resolve within 24 hours without leaving residual changes on the skin. If the duration of wheals is unclear, patients or clinicians can draw a line around the lesion to observe for changes or resolution
In addition to the physical stimuli in chronic inducible urticaria, other triggers of chronic urticaria include psychosocial stress, work exposures, surgical implants, and menses.
Investigations are not needed to make a diagnosis. However, a limited work-up can be considered for potential comorbidities (e.g. thyroid hormones and autoantibodies for active thyroid disease) or to exclude other diagnoses in the appropriate clinical context (e.g. skin biopsy for urticarial vasculitis).
With the exception of avoiding alcohol consumption, pseudoallergen-free or other food elimination diets should not be routinely recommended to patients for symptom control. In fact, IgE-mediated food allergy is rarely an underlying cause of urticaria.
To have access to full article that these tools were developed for, please subscribe. The cost to subscribe is $80 USD per year and you will gain full access to all the premium content on www.healthplexus.net, an educational portal, that hosts 1000s of clinical reviews, case studies, educational visual aids and more as well as within the mobile app.
Related Terms: Dermatology, Urticaria, pediatric urticaria, angioedema, acute urticaria, chronic spontaneous urticaria
Disclaimer: 
Disclaimer at the end of each page

#33: Back Pain Part 2: Managing Mechanical Back Pain

Welcome to 3P: Pills, Pearls, and Patients where we will discuss current events in medicine, stories from real patient-physician encounters, and gain insight into what it's like being a physician in today's society.

Please note that while the first episode is available to listen to without registration, accessing additional episodes will require you to subscribe and log in.

  Back to Pills, Pearls & Patients (3P)

Hello and welcome to the next episode of 3P, Pills, Pearls and Patients. I'm your host, Dr. Marina Malak. And today is part two of our series on Basically Back Pain.

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Dr. Marina Malak is a family physician in Mississauga, Ontario and a lecturer and faculty member at the University of Toronto. She is actively involved in medical advocacy, and is a board member of the Mississauga Primary Care Network. She is also a member of the National Committee of Continuing Professional Development at the College of Family Physicians of Ontario, and a member of the Research Ethics Board at Trillium Health Partners.

She is passionate about patient care; medical education; and promoting mental, physical, and emotional wellness. She enjoys reading, writing, public speaking, puzzles, doodling in her bullet journal, and creating drawings on Procreate.

#12: Frailty in the Elderly

RS: Hello and welcome to another episode of the Medical Narratives podcast. I'm Regina Starr and today we will delve into the topic of Frailty in the Elderly. Frailty among the elderly presents a multifaceted challenge to both society and society at large. As a medical condition, it signifies a state of vulnerability, often resulting from age related declines in physical and mental health. This condition places a significant burden on health care systems, increasing hospitalizations and health care costs.

Moreover, frail individuals may experience reduced quality of life and increased dependance on caregivers. Societally, addressing frailty necessitates reconfiguring health care systems to provide better support for older adults and promoting preventative measures through healthier lifestyles. The challenge of frailty underscores the pressing need for a comprehensive, age sensitive approach to elderly care. To discuss this topic, we sat down with Dr. Michael Gordon, a well-known geriatrician specialist and the host of the Medical Narratives podcast.

RS: Hi Michael.

MG: Hi. Good morning.

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Dr. Michael Gordon recently retired after a fulfilling career as a geriatrician that spanned 56 years, 44 of which he spent working at the Baycrest Center in Toronto. He is Emeritus Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto. Dr. Gordon is a recognized ethicist and a thought leader on all topics of care of the elderly and end-of-life decisions. Currently, Dr. Gordon provides part-time professional medical consulting mainly in the domain of cognition and memory loss.

#5: Approach to Acute Abdominal Pain

Welcome to Inside Radiology: A Primary Care Perspective where we explore the world of radiology and its applications in primary care.

Please note that while the first episode is available to listen to without registration, accessing additional episodes will require you to subscribe and log in.

  Inside Radiology: A Primary Care Perspective

Welcome back to another episode of Inside Radiology: A Primary Care Perspective podcast. I'm Dr. D'Arcy Little, your host, a community radiologist with a background in primary care. In today's episode, we are looking at abdominal pain imaging.

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Welcome to Inside Radiology: A Primary Care Perspective podcast! I'm Dr. D'Arcy Little, your host. As a community radiologist and former family physician, I'm passionate about empowering primary care doctors with the knowledge and insights they need. With my unique perspective, I aim to bridge the gap between primary care and radiology, presenting the complexities of radiology in a way that resonates with you. My goal is to equip you with tools to enhance patient care and decision-making. Join me on this educational journey as we explore the world of radiology, tailored for primary care physicians like you. Together, let's elevate primary care radiology.

Pediatric Psoriasis

Teaser: 

Yvonne Deng,1 Joseph M. Lam, MD, FRCPC,2

1 Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
2Department of Pediatrics, Department of Dermatology and Skin Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

CLINICAL TOOLS

Abstract: Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that affects up to 1.4% of children (aged <18 years) with a strong genetic predisposition and is mediated by dysregulation in the crosstalk between the innate and adaptive immune responses. It can have significant impact on quality of life for many patients. There are various subtypes of psoriasis with plaque psoriasis being the most common presentation in both adults and children. Pediatric psoriasis is primarily a clinical diagnosis. With the advent of biologics, the treatment landscape for pediatric psoriasis has shifted and encompasses diverse modalities of therapeutics, including topical and systemic treatments, as well as phototherapy.
Key Words: pediatric psoriasis, psoriasis, chronic, inflammatory, skin disease.

Members of the College of Family Physicians of Canada may claim MAINPRO-M2 Credits for this unaccredited educational program.

www.cfpc.ca/Mainpro_M2

You can take quizzes without subscribing; however, your results will not be stored. Subscribers will have access to their quiz results for future reference.

Pre-test CME Quiz Post-test CME Quiz
Psoriasis affects the pediatric population and is associated with negative effects on quality of life and psychological impairments.
Lesions of pediatric plaque psoriasis may be thinner, smaller, more macerated than those classically in adult and present more commonly on the scalp, face, intertriginous areas, and extremities (flexural surfaces for younger children and extensor surfaces for older children).
Psoriasis is not an isolated condition and is correlated with higher rates of myocardial infarction, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obesity, arthritis and liver disease.
In mild to moderate cases of psoriasis, topical therapies with a short course of corticosteroids and/or vitamin D analogue are first-line. In moderate to severe cases, narrowband UVB phototherapy, systemic agents, such as methotrexate, and biologics should be considered.
Pediatric patient should be assessed for risk factors for associated comorbidities.
A history of preceding streptococcal or viral infection can be suggestive of guttate psoriasis, which is more common in children than adults.
Approach to treatment should be guided by the extent and severity of disease, which can be quantified by BSA, the PASI score and quality of life index surveys.
To have access to full article that these tools were developed for, please subscribe. The cost to subscribe is $80 USD per year and you will gain full access to all the premium content on www.healthplexus.net, an educational portal, that hosts 1000s of clinical reviews, case studies, educational visual aids and more as well as within the mobile app.
Related Terms: Dermatology, pediatric, psoriasis, chronic, inflammatory, skin disease
Disclaimer: 
Disclaimer at the end of each page