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Author Spotlight: Quantifying Pain Experience – An Illustrative Approach Using the Pain Body Diagram
Published on: July 7, 2023
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Paediatric pain management: from regional to virtual
Grant Heydinger1, Anitra Karthic2, Vanessa A Olbrecht1
1Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Nationwide Children's Hospital and the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, The Ohio State University College of Medicine.
Current Opinion in Anaesthesiology
|February 6, 2023
Summary
Regional anesthesia and virtual reality offer promising opioid-sparing options for pediatric pain management. These innovative techniques are evolving and expected to increase in clinical use for children.
Area of Science:
- Anesthesiology and Pain Management
- Pediatric Healthcare
- Emerging Medical Technologies
Background:
- Growing interest in multimodal, opioid-sparing analgesia drives exploration of non-pharmacological and regional anesthesia techniques for pediatric pain.
- Traditional methods are being supplemented by advanced regional anesthesia and virtual reality (VR) for improved pain control in children.
Approach:
- Review of current trends and recent developments in regional anesthesia techniques for pediatric pain management.
- Exploration of virtual reality as a complementary non-pharmacological approach for pediatric pain and anxiety.
- Integration of VR with existing strategies like distraction and biofeedback to enhance efficacy.
Key Points:
- Novel fascial plane blocks expand regional anesthesia options, particularly when neuraxial anesthesia is not feasible.
- Spinal anesthesia and continuous epidural analgesia are gaining traction among pediatric anesthesiologists for infant and neonatal pain.
- Virtual reality shows potential for pediatric pain management, though further research is needed for widespread adoption.
Conclusions:
- Regional anesthesia and virtual reality are effective tools for alleviating pediatric pain across various clinical settings.
- Advancements in both fields are contributing to their increasing role in managing diverse types of pediatric pain.
- These modalities are poised to become more integral to pediatric pain management strategies in the near future.
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