Research Spotlight: Pain and Spine Medicine (Friday)-Session Presentation

Video Transcription
Video Summary
Good morning, and thank you for joining us for the research spotlight in pain. The session is being recorded and participants are encouraged to mute their microphones. The first presenter is Evan Berlin, who will be presenting research on the development of a cadaver lab curriculum for interventional spine procedures for PM&R residents. The objective of the curriculum is to enhance residents' confidence in performing interventional spine procedures. The curriculum includes familiarizing residents with the movement of the C-arm, identifying spine anatomy under fluoroscopy, and practicing needle skills on a cadaver. The study involved 12 residents who participated in the curriculum and completed a post-course evaluation. The results showed that residents' confidence in C-arm maneuvering, identifying spine anatomy, and driving the needle significantly increased after participating in the curriculum. The residents also rated the cadaver lab experience as highly beneficial for education and training. The second presenter is Arman Jahangiri, who discussed the efficacy of low-dose naltrexone as a therapeutic alternative for fibromyalgia, chronic pain syndrome, and multiple sclerosis. The study found that low-dose naltrexone was effective in reducing pain and improving quality of life for patients with these conditions. However, larger clinical trials are needed to determine the appropriate dosage and duration of treatment. The third presenter is Alyssa Mixon, who presented research on racial differences in the surgical care of Medicare beneficiaries among women diagnosed with spinal metastatic breast cancer. The study found that black women had higher rates of post-operative complications and longer hospital stays compared to non-Hispanic white women. These disparities highlight the need for further research and interventions to address racial disparities in surgical care. The final presenter is Alexandra Fogarty, who conducted a systematic review on the effectiveness of genicular nerve radiofrequency ablation for chronic knee pain in patients with osteoarthritis. The review found that genicular nerve radiofrequency ablation provided consistent improvement in pain and function in patients with chronic knee pain. However, further research is needed to standardize the techniques and refine the target nerves for optimal outcomes. Overall, the research presented in this session provides valuable insights into various aspects of pain management and highlights the need for further research and interventions to improve patient outcomes.
Keywords
cadaver lab curriculum
low-dose naltrexone
racial disparities
surgical care
chronic knee pain
osteoarthritis
interventional spine procedures
C-arm maneuvering