Advocating for Transparency and Oversight in Pain Management

Introduction:

• Welcome back to Painexam, where we delve into the latest advancements and challenges in pain management.
• Today's episode highlights a significant advocacy effort made by leading Interventional Pain Physicians and industry experts.

Summary of Lobbying Effort:

• On March 20, 2024, a group of esteemed physicians and industry leaders, including Drs. Sean Li, Peter Staats, Mehul J. Desai, David Reece, Hemant Kalia, and David Rosenblum, alongside industry figures Mark Stultz, Christopher Conrad, and Cecelia Ruble, visited Capitol Hill to advocate for greater oversight and transparency in independent review organizations.
• Despite their busy schedules, they recognized the critical need to address the 0% turnover rate in appeals for denied treatments, which disproportionately affects patients seeking alternatives to surgery and opioid medication.

Importance of Transparency:

•  

  • The issue extends beyond pain management, impacting patients across various medical fields.
  • While opioid therapy may seem economically favorable initially, the long-term consequences, including delayed care and medication side effects, often outweigh the costs.
  • The group emphasized the importance of an unbiased review for  accessible, cutting-edge treatments to improve patient outcomes and reduce overall healthcare expenses.

  Purpose of the Lobbying Effort:
  Contrary to pushing any specific company agenda, the initiative aims to highlight the challenges patients and physicians encounter in securing optimal treatment outcomes.

For Board Prep, Ultrasound Training and more, visit:

Dr. David Rosenblum, a pioneer in interventional pain medicine, particularly in ultrasound-

guided procedures and regenerative pain medicine, underscores the necessity of addressing these issues for the benefit of countless patients suffering from chronic pain.

Conclusion and Actionable Steps:

• To schedule a consultation with Dr. Rosenblum, patients can visit www.AABPpain.com or contact the Brooklyn Office at 718-436-7246 or the Garden City Office at 516-482-7246.
• Stay tuned for more updates on advancements and advocacy efforts in pain management.

Outro:

• Thank you for joining us on this episode of Painexam. Be sure to subscribe for future discussions on navigating the complexities of pain management.

Dr. Rosenblum interviews West Viriginia Society of Interventional Pain Physician's President Rudy Malayil, MD and discusses the upcoming WVSIPP meeting in April 2024 as well as Dr. Rosenblum's upcoming ultrasound course. 

Rudy Mathew Malayil, M.D., completed his internship in General Surgery at New York Presbyterian/Cornell Hospital in New York City, followed by residency training in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at New York University Medical School. Dr. Malayil further completed a Pain Medicine Fellowship at the Albert Einstein School of Medicine at the Beth Israel Medical Center Campus in New York City. 

After training he went settled in West Virginia and eventually became the president of West Virginia Society of Interventional Pain Physicians and started private practice Pain Management 360.

https://pain360.org

https://www.malayilmd.com

 

Ultrasound Interventional Pain Course Registration 

 

 

For Anesthesia Board Prep Click Here!

References

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/endocrinology/articles/10.3389/fendo.2023.1293358/full

In this episode, Garden City (long island) based Pain Physician, Dr. David Rosenblum explores Peripheral Nerve Stimulation, Biologics and Ablations for hip pain.

He reviews a case report of a 67-year-old female with a history of a mechanical fall causing injury to her lumbar spine and pelvis resulting in hip and pelvic pain is presented. The patient had hypertrophic non-union of the right iliac wing fracture and displacement of the pubic symphysis and right sacroiliac joint. Medications were not effectively managing her pain, so she sought treatment at a pain management clinic.

The patient underwent diagnostic obturator and femoral articular nerve branch injections, as well as a middle cluneal nerve steroid injection, all guided by fluoroscopy and ultrasound. She experienced improvement in her pain following these procedures. Subsequently, she had a peripheral nerve stimulator (PNS) trial and underwent implantation of leads targeting the right middle cluneal nerve and right obturator and femoral articular nerve branches.

The patient reported significant relief in both the posterior and anterior distribution of her pain. Her activities of daily living improved, and she was able to sleep without pain after the PNS implantation. The successful use of combined fluoroscopy and ultrasound in targeting the specific nerves and replicating the patient's pain distribution before permanent PNS implantation is highlighted in this case.

Additionally, the show notes mention an events calendar located at this link: https://www.nrappain.org/pages/ultrasound-course-calendar.

Upcoming Course schedule for NRAP Academy includes the following events:

1. Ultrasound Guided Pain & Regional Anesthesia Course in New York City on February 10, 2024. This course will cover nerve blocks, joint injections, and more. Attendees will have the opportunity to scan live models after the didactic session.

2. MSK Pain & Regional Anesthesia Course in Miami, Florida on February 18, 2024. This course will focus on ultrasound-guided nerve blocks and MSK (musculoskeletal) pain management.

3. Ultrasound Guided Pain Course in Key West, Florida on February 23, 2024. This 4 CME (Continuing Medical Education) course will cover ultrasound-guided nerve blocks, MSK, PRP (platelet-rich plasma), BMAC (bone marrow aspirate concentrate) targets, and regional anesthesia.

4. Regional Anesthesia and US Guided Pain Management Course in New York City on March 9, 2024. This course will provide training in ultrasound-guided interventional pain management and regional anesthesia.

5. Ultrasound Guided IPM (Interventional Pain Management) Course in West Virginia on April 14, 2024. This course is part of the Appalachian Regional Spine and Pain Meeting and will be conducted by NRAP Academy. It will focus on interventional pain management using ultrasound guidance.

6. Regenerative Pain Medicine Course in New York City on May 4, 2024. This course will cover PRP (platelet-rich plasma) and other regenerative pain medicine techniques.

In addition to the live training, attendees will receive bonus material including access to the On Demand Ultrasound Guided MSK Interventional Pain Management Course, a course workbook and certificate, post-course guidance and discounts, and the opportunity to join the mailing list for calendar updates.

Please note that these course details are subject to change, so it's recommended to visit the NRAP Academy website for the most up-to-date information.

Reference

Fu E, Elsharkawy H

#35977 Peripheral nerve stimulation implant for chronic post-traumatic hip and pelvic pain

Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine 2023;48:A193.

Painexam Podcast Show Notes: Journal Club on "Ventricular Infusion and Nanoprobes Identify Cerebrospinal Fluid and Glymphatic Circulation in Human Nerves"

Special Thanks to Robert Stall, MD

Introduction:

• Welcome to another episode of the Painexam Podcast! In today's journal club edition, we delve into a fascinating study by Dr. Joel E. Pessa on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) circulation in human nerves.

Background:

• The study addresses the growing evidence of CSF circulation in human nerves and its implications in various conditions encountered by plastic surgeons.
• Conditions such as nerve transection, stretch injuries, and peripheral neuropathy may be related to dysregulation of the CSF system.

Methods:

• Dr. Pessa and his team developed the ventricular infusion technique using buffered saline in 2017.
• The technique was applied to eight fresh cadavers before dissecting the median nerve.
• Fluorescent imaging and nanoprobe injections were combined with ventricular infusion in selected specimens.

Results:

• The eight cadaver specimens (six female, two male) aged 46–97 underwent successful ventricular infusion.
• Ventricular cannulation was performed successfully using specific coordinates.
• Results suggest that CSF flows in neural sheaths, including pia meninges, epineurial channels, perineurium, and myelin sheaths (neurolemma).

Conclusions:

• Ventricular infusion and nanoprobes effectively identify CSF flow in neural sheaths of human nerves.
• CSF flow in nerves is described as an open circulatory system occurring via channels, intracellular flow, and cell-to-cell transport associated with glial cells.
• Neural sheaths, including neurolemma, may play a role in glucose and solute transport to axons.
• The techniques showcased in this study can be utilized in anatomic dissection and live animal models and have been extended to the central nervous system to identify direct ventricle-to-pia meninges CSF pathways.

Significance:

• This study opens new avenues for understanding the intricate mechanisms of CSF circulation in neural tissues.
• Plastic surgeons and researchers can benefit from these techniques in studying and addressing conditions related to CSF dysregulation in nerves.
• The findings have implications not only for nerve-related conditions but also for broader applications in the central nervous system.

Closing:

• Thank you for joining us on this insightful journey through Dr. Joel E. Pessa's study. Stay tuned for more engaging discussions on pain management and neurology in future Painexam Podcast episodes!

Reference

Pessa JE. Ventricular Infusion and Nanoprobes Identify Cerebrospinal Fluid and Glymphatic Circulation in Human Nerves. Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. 2022 Feb 17;10(2):e4126. doi: 10.1097/GOX.0000000000004126. PMID: 35198353; PMCID: PMC8856590.