Acute Pain Nursing

This chapter defines the importance of nursing in the effective management of acute pain patients.

Air Transport of the Critically Injured Pain Patient

This chapter describes pain management during casualty transport based on experiences of the United States Air Force during war.

Quadratus Lumborum Block

This chapter describes the quadratus lumborum block.

Sciatic Nerve Block

This chapter describes the sciatic nerve block.

Infraclavicular Block

This chapter describes the infraclavicular block.

Regional Anesthesia Equipment

This chapter outlines the conditions, equipment, and documentation necessary for a successful regional anesthesia and acute pain medicine practice. Local Anesthetics and Additives

Craniotomy

This chapter discusses postcraniotomy headache (PCH), a common yet frequently underdiagnosed and undertreated occurrence, with up to 30% of patients experiencing persistent headache after surgery. The chapter identifies risk factors for the development of acute and persistent PCH and describes mechanisms for its development, such as injury to the sensory nerves supplying the scalp and underlying tissues or to the perivascular nerves that supply sensation to the dura mater. Pain management following craniotomy is a balancing act of achieving adequate analgesia while avoiding oversedation, respiratory depression, hypercapnia, nausea, vomiting, and hypertension. Current evidence suggests that a balanced, multimodal approach to the treatment of acute PCH is often required to optimize pain control, minimize undesired side effects, and prevent the development of persistent PCH.

Total Hip Arthroplasty

This chapter discusses the goals, procedure, and potential outcomes of total hip arthroplasty (THA). Patients may be candidates for a THA when they have severe arthritis of their hip(s) (degeneration of cartilage covering the ends of the bones creating the hip joint). Arthritic hip pain is often progressive and gets worse as the cartilage continues to deteriorate. Typically, at the time a patient seeks hip arthroplasty, his or her quality of life has become very compromised. In a total hip arthroplasty, damaged bone and cartilage of the hip joint are removed and replaced with prosthetic components. THA can be performed under neuraxial anesthesia (spinal or epidural) or general anesthesia or a combination of both.

Interventional Chronic Pain Treatment

This chapter reviews the value of common interventional chronic pain procedures and the impact of these procedures on non-battle related injuries in a mature war theater of operations.

Regional Anesthesia Complications

This chapter reviews peripheral nerve anatomy and common complications associated with regional anesthesia.