Anna Camporesi, Giulia Roveri, Luigi Vetrugno, Danilo Buonsenso, Valentina De Giorgis, Sara Costanzo, Ugo Maria Pierucci, Gloria Pelizzo
{"title":"Lung ultrasound assessment of atelectasis following different anesthesia induction techniques in pediatric patients: a propensity score-matched, observational study.","authors":"Anna Camporesi, Giulia Roveri, Luigi Vetrugno, Danilo Buonsenso, Valentina De Giorgis, Sara Costanzo, Ugo Maria Pierucci, Gloria Pelizzo","doi":"10.1186/s44158-024-00206-x","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s44158-024-00206-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Atelectasis is a well-documented complication in pediatric patients undergoing general anesthesia. Its incidence varies significantly based on surgical procedures and anesthesia techniques. Inhalation induction, commonly used to avoid the discomfort of venipuncture, is suspected to cause higher rates of respiratory complications, including atelectasis, compared to intravenous induction. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of inhalation versus intravenous anesthesia induction on atelectasis formation in pediatric patients, as assessed by lung ultrasound (LUS).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This propensity score-matched observational study was conducted at a tertiary pediatric hospital in Milan, Italy. Inclusion criteria were children ≤ 18 years undergoing elective surgery with general anesthesia. Patients were divided into inhalation and intravenous induction groups. LUS was performed before and after anesthesia induction to assess lung aeration. The primary endpoint was the global LUS score post-induction, with secondary endpoints including the incidence and distribution of atelectasis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of the 326 patients included, 65% underwent inhalation induction and 35% intravenous induction. The global LUS score was significantly higher in the inhalation group (12.0 vs. 4.0, p < 0.001). After propensity score matching (for age, presence of upper respiratory tract infection, duration of induction, and PEEP levels at induction), average treatment effect (ATE) of mask induction was 5.89 (95% CI, 3.21-8.58; p < 0.001) point on LUS global score and a coefficient of 0.35 (OR 1.41) for atelectasis.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Inhalation induction is associated with a higher incidence of atelectasis in pediatric patients also when we adjusted for clinically relevant covariates.</p><p><strong>Trial registration: </strong>ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT06069414.</p>","PeriodicalId":73597,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Anesthesia, Analgesia and Critical Care (Online)","volume":"4 1","pages":"69"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11452973/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142378667","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
G Spinazzola, S Spadaro, G Ferrone, S Grasso, S M Maggiore, G Cinnella, L Cabrini, G Cammarota, J G Maugeri, R Simonte, N Patroniti, L Ball, G Conti, D De Luca, A Cortegiani, A Giarratano, C Gregoretti
{"title":"Management of analgosedation during noninvasive respiratory support: an expert Delphi consensus document developed by the Italian Society of Anesthesia, Analgesia, Resuscitation and Intensive Care (SIAARTI).","authors":"G Spinazzola, S Spadaro, G Ferrone, S Grasso, S M Maggiore, G Cinnella, L Cabrini, G Cammarota, J G Maugeri, R Simonte, N Patroniti, L Ball, G Conti, D De Luca, A Cortegiani, A Giarratano, C Gregoretti","doi":"10.1186/s44158-024-00203-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s44158-024-00203-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Discomfort can be the cause of noninvasive respiratory support (NRS) failure in up to 50% of treated patients. Several studies have shown how analgosedation during NRS can reduce the rate of delirium, endotracheal intubation, and hospital length of stay in patients with acute respiratory failure. The purpose of this project was to explore consensus on which medications are currently available as analgosedatives during NRS, which types of patients may benefit from analgosedation while on NRS, and which clinical settings might be appropriate for the implementation of analgosedation during NRS.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The Italian Society of Anesthesia, Analgesia, Resuscitation and Intensive Care (SIAARTI) selected a panel of experts and asked them to define key aspects of the use of analgesics and sedatives during NRS treatment. The methodology applied is in line with the principles of the modified Delphi and RAND-UCLA methods. The experts developed statements and supportive rationales which were then subjected to blind votes for consensus.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The use of an analgosedation strategy in adult patients with acute respiratory failure of different origins may be useful where there is a need to manage discomfort. This strategy should be considered after careful assessment of other potential factors associated with respiratory failure or inappropriate noninvasive respiratory support settings, which may, in turn, be responsible for NRS failure. Several drugs can be used, each of them specifically targeted to the main component of discomfort to treat. In addition, analgosedation during NRS treatment should always be combined with close cardiorespiratory monitoring in an appropriate clinical setting.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The use of analgosedation during NRS has been studied in several clinical trials. However, its successful application relies on a thorough understanding of the pharmacological aspects of the sedative drugs used, the clinical conditions for which NRS is applied, and a careful selection of the appropriate clinical setting.</p>","PeriodicalId":73597,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Anesthesia, Analgesia and Critical Care (Online)","volume":"4 1","pages":"68"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11441104/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142333895","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Giulia Catalisano, Gioacchina Martina Campione, Giulia Spurio, Alberto Nicolò Galvano, Cesira Palmeri di Villalba, Antonino Giarratano, Antonietta Alongi, Mariachiara Ippolito, Andrea Cortegiani
{"title":"Neuropathic pain, antidepressant drugs, and inflammation: a narrative review.","authors":"Giulia Catalisano, Gioacchina Martina Campione, Giulia Spurio, Alberto Nicolò Galvano, Cesira Palmeri di Villalba, Antonino Giarratano, Antonietta Alongi, Mariachiara Ippolito, Andrea Cortegiani","doi":"10.1186/s44158-024-00204-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s44158-024-00204-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Neuropathic pain (NP) is a chronic and disabling condition, caused by a lesion or disease of the somatosensory nervous system, characterized by a systemic inflammatory state. Signs and associated symptoms are rarely recognized, and response to usual analgesic drugs is poor. Antidepressant drugs are first-line agents for the treatment of NP. This narrative review aims to summarize the role of antidepressant drugs in treating NP and their mechanism of action, focusing on the effects on inflammatory cytokines.</p><p><strong>Main text: </strong>Peripheral nerve injury leads to a local inflammatory response and to the disruption of the blood-medullary barrier, allowing the influx of peripheral immune cells into the central nervous system. Antidepressants have antinociceptive effects because they recruit long-term neuronal plasticity. Amitriptyline modulates the inflammatory response due to the reduction of the mRNA of pro-inflammatory cytokines acting as an adenosine agonist and leading to the activation of the A<sub>3</sub>AR receptor. Through toll-like receptors, local inflammation determines the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) that drives and stimulates the hyperflammation in NP. Nortriptyline has an important antiallodynic effect in NP as it determines the recruitment of norepinephrine in the dorsal root ganglia. By modulating the β2-adrenoreceptors expressed by non-neuronal satellite cells, it inhibits the local production of TNF-α and determines a reduction of NP symptoms. Following the administration of antidepressants, there is a reduction in the production of TNF-α in the brain which in turn transforms the function of the α2-adrenergic receptor from an inhibitor to an activator of the release of norepinephrine. This is important to prevent the development of chronic pain.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Inflammatory cytokines are the main players in a bidirectional communication between the central and peripheral nervous system and the immune system in NP. Antidepressants have an important role in NP. Further research should explore the interaction between neuroinflammation in NP, the effects of antidepressants and the clinical relevance of this interaction.</p>","PeriodicalId":73597,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Anesthesia, Analgesia and Critical Care (Online)","volume":"4 1","pages":"67"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11429121/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142333896","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Luca Carenzo, Giulio Calgaro, Marius Rehn, Zane Perkins, Zaffer A Qasim, Lorenzo Gamberini, Ewoud Ter Avest
{"title":"Contemporary management of traumatic cardiac arrest and peri-arrest states: a narrative review.","authors":"Luca Carenzo, Giulio Calgaro, Marius Rehn, Zane Perkins, Zaffer A Qasim, Lorenzo Gamberini, Ewoud Ter Avest","doi":"10.1186/s44158-024-00197-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s44158-024-00197-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Trauma is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide across all age groups, with traumatic cardiac arrest (TCA) presenting a significant economic and societal burden due to the loss of productive life years. Despite TCA's high mortality rate, recent evidence indicates that survival with good and moderate neurological recovery is possible. Successful resuscitation in TCA depends on the immediate and simultaneous treatment of reversible causes according to pre-established algorithms. The HOTT protocol, addressing hypovolaemia, oxygenation (hypoxia), tension pneumothorax, and cardiac tamponade, forms the foundation of TCA management. Advanced interventions, such as resuscitative thoracotomy and resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA), further enhance treatment. Contemporary approaches also consider metabolic factors (e.g. hyperkalaemia, calcium imbalances) and hemostatic resuscitation. This narrative review explores the advanced management of TCA and peri-arrest states, discussing the epidemiology and pathophysiology of peri-arrest and TCA. It integrates classic TCA management strategies with the latest evidence and practical applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":73597,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Anesthesia, Analgesia and Critical Care (Online)","volume":"4 1","pages":"66"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11426104/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142333894","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Area deprivation index, a marker of socioeconomic disadvantage, may predict severity of COVID-19 in patients and which families may experience worse symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and depression post-ICU.","authors":"Megan Mayer, Meghan Althoff, Nicholas Csikesz, Stephanie Yu, Hope Cruse, Renee Stapleton, Timothy Amass","doi":"10.1186/s44158-024-00198-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s44158-024-00198-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>COVID-19 disproportionately impacted marginalized populations early in the pandemic. Families of patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) experienced significant psychological effects. Little is known about whether individual and patient psychological outcomes after a loved ones stay in the ICU differs by socioeconomic status, as measured by the area deprivation index (ADI).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Family members of patients with COVID-19 respiratory failure admitted to the ICU at twelve hospitals in five US states were enrolled in a larger study looking at rates of symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression in the months following their loved one's ICU stay. This secondary data analysis includes eight of the twelve hospitals in four of the five states. Each participant was assigned a number indicating a level of neighborhood disadvantage based on the patient's zip code. Patient and family level characteristics as well as symptoms of anxiety, depression, and PTSD were assessed among each neighborhood.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Patients from the most disadvantaged neighborhoods had the highest proportion of patients that needed to be intubated (p = 0.005). All the patients in the most disadvantaged neighborhoods were a race other than white (p = 0.17). At 12 months post-hospitalization, there was a statistically significant difference in the proportion of family members who experienced symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and depression between the ADI groups.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>ADI may be a predictor of COVID-19 disease severity for patients on presentation to the ICU. Patients and family members experience psychological effects after a loved one's admission to the ICU, and these outcomes vary among individuals of different socioeconomic status', as measured by the ADI. A larger study of family members' incidence of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder is needed to understand the extent to which these symptoms are impacted by neighborhood level factors as measured by the ADI.</p>","PeriodicalId":73597,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Anesthesia, Analgesia and Critical Care (Online)","volume":"4 1","pages":"65"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11414184/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142302681","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Marco Cascella, Massimo Antonio Innamorato, Silvia Natoli, Valentina Bellini, Ornella Piazza, Roberto Pedone, Antonino Giarratano, Franco Marinangeli, Luca Miceli, Elena Giovanna Bignami, Alessandro Vittori
{"title":"Opportunities and barriers for telemedicine in pain management: insights from a SIAARTI survey among Italian pain physicians.","authors":"Marco Cascella, Massimo Antonio Innamorato, Silvia Natoli, Valentina Bellini, Ornella Piazza, Roberto Pedone, Antonino Giarratano, Franco Marinangeli, Luca Miceli, Elena Giovanna Bignami, Alessandro Vittori","doi":"10.1186/s44158-024-00202-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s44158-024-00202-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The integration of telemedicine in pain management represents a significant advancement in healthcare delivery, offering opportunities to enhance patient access to specialized care, improve satisfaction, and streamline chronic pain management. Despite its growing adoption, there remains a lack of comprehensive data on its utilization in pain therapy, necessitating a deeper understanding of physicians' perspectives, experiences, and challenges.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A survey was conducted in Italy between January 2024 and May 2024. Specialist center members of the SIAARTI were sent an online questionnaire testing the state of the art of telemedicine for pain medicine.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>One-hundred thirty-one centers across Italy reveal varied adoption rates, with 40% routinely using telemedicine. Regional disparities exist, with Northern Italy showing higher adoption rates. Barriers include the absence of protocols, resource constraints, and bureaucratic obstacles. Despite challenges, telemedicine has shown positive impacts on service delivery, with increased service volume reported. Technological capabilities, including image sharing and teleconsultation with specialists, indicate promising interdisciplinary potential.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The integration of advanced telemedicine software utilizing artificial intelligence holds promise for enhancing telemonitoring and alert systems, potentially leading to more proactive and personalized pain management strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":73597,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Anesthesia, Analgesia and Critical Care (Online)","volume":"4 1","pages":"64"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11407017/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142302684","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Irene Ottaviani, Simona Tantillo, Lorenzo Miggiano, Martina Guarnera, Marco Menghini, Francesco Talarico, Federica Mazzanti, Nicola Cilloni
{"title":"Fasting in critical illness: the role of ketonuria - a retrospective observational study.","authors":"Irene Ottaviani, Simona Tantillo, Lorenzo Miggiano, Martina Guarnera, Marco Menghini, Francesco Talarico, Federica Mazzanti, Nicola Cilloni","doi":"10.1186/s44158-024-00199-7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s44158-024-00199-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Metabolic acidosis is a frequent finding in patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). It can be caused by prolonged fasting due to surgical procedures or by medical conditions that lead to starvation ketoacidosis (SKA). Early recognition and treatment of SKA could prevent several life-threatening complications, improving survival and reducing the ICU length of stay.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We retrospectively screened all medical records of patients admitted to the ICU (Maggiore Hospital, Bologna, North Italy) from May 2022 to April 2023. We included patients aged 18 years or older who presented ketonuria detected in the urine sample.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We analyzed 190 patients with ketonuria at ICU admission. Postsurgical patients showed lower levels of albumin and a higher rate of shock compared to medical patients. Ketonuric patients with shock had a lower body mass index (BMI) compared to patients without shock (24 versus 26 kg/m2, respectively). There were no differences within groups regarding mortality and ICU readmission rate. Medical patients had a significantly higher ICU length of stay.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This retrospective observational descriptive study showed that patients with ketonuria, hypoalbuminemia, and low BMI at ICU admission have high risk of hemodynamic instability and shock. Surgical patients compared to medical patients are exposed to a catabolic trigger that could worsen a state of malnutrition and induce anabolic resistance; elective and urgent surgical patients did not differ in terms of risk of shock and mortality, probably due to the activation of this catabolic pathway. Early recognition and treatment of starvation ketoacidosis and perioperative nutritional optimization could reduce incidence of hemodynamic and metabolic complications.</p>","PeriodicalId":73597,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Anesthesia, Analgesia and Critical Care (Online)","volume":"4 1","pages":"63"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11403818/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142302683","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Maria Grazia Bocci, Daniele Natalini, Rikardo Xhemalaj, Silvia M Pulitanò
{"title":"Assisted animal interventions in the ICU: we are responsible for ensuring the well-being and ethical treatment of animals and humans.","authors":"Maria Grazia Bocci, Daniele Natalini, Rikardo Xhemalaj, Silvia M Pulitanò","doi":"10.1186/s44158-024-00200-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s44158-024-00200-3","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":73597,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Anesthesia, Analgesia and Critical Care (Online)","volume":"4 1","pages":"62"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11385483/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142302682","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Filipe André Gonzalez, Jacobo Bacariza, Joao Leote
{"title":"To B or not to B-lines.","authors":"Filipe André Gonzalez, Jacobo Bacariza, Joao Leote","doi":"10.1186/s44158-024-00196-w","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s44158-024-00196-w","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":73597,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Anesthesia, Analgesia and Critical Care (Online)","volume":"4 1","pages":"61"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11378440/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142141937","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Laura Demartini, David Michael Abbott, Cesare Bonezzi, Silvia Natoli
{"title":"Radiofrequency stimulation of the dorsal root ganglion as a diagnostic tool for radicular pain syndromes: six representative cases.","authors":"Laura Demartini, David Michael Abbott, Cesare Bonezzi, Silvia Natoli","doi":"10.1186/s44158-024-00194-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s44158-024-00194-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>We discuss the diagnostic benefit of pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) of the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) in a case series of patients with different pathologies. We expand the diagnostic potential of DRG stimulation beyond paresthesia mapping by using DRG stimulation to help determine the role of the DRG in the patient's pain and narrow down the etiology. In some cases, DRG stimulation was also part of the treatment plan.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Six patients underwent DRG radiofrequency as a diagnostic/therapeutic step before considering implantation of a DRG neurostimulator. First, patients underwent a basic bedside neurological evaluation. Next, an electrode was placed in the epidural space through the sacral hiatus or between vertebral laminae. Then, sensory stimulation was applied at 50 Hz and gradually increased from 0.1 V until the patient reported paresthesia or until a maximum intensity of 2 V was reached. Patients were asked to describe where the stimulation was felt and outline the anatomical area the paresthesia covered. Then a motor stimulation was applied at 2 Hz until muscle twitching was reported by the patient or observed by the physician.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The information obtained helped diagnose the type of lesion as principally preganglionic, ganglionic, or postganglionic. This information guided patient management.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>PRF of the DRG can provide valuable diagnostic information and is a useful step before ganglionic electrode implantation. In all cases, PRF of the DRG provided valuable diagnostic information and guided management options.</p>","PeriodicalId":73597,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Anesthesia, Analgesia and Critical Care (Online)","volume":"4 1","pages":"60"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11370105/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142127531","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}