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Review
. 2023 May 18:16:1637-1646.
doi: 10.2147/JPR.S402798. eCollection 2023.

Interventional Pain Procedures: A Narrative Review Focusing on Safety and Complications. Part 1 Injections for Spinal Pain

Giuliano Lo Bianco  1   2 , Andrea Tinnirello  3 , Alfonso Papa  4 , Vito Torrano  5 , Gianluca Russo  6 , Agnes Stogicza  7 , Sebastiano Mercadante  8 , Andrea Cortegiani  9 , Silvia Mazzoleni  3 , Michael E Schatman  10   11
Affiliations
Review

Interventional Pain Procedures: A Narrative Review Focusing on Safety and Complications. Part 1 Injections for Spinal Pain

Giuliano Lo Bianco et al. J Pain Res. .

Abstract

In recent years, there has been a considerable increase in the number of image-guided interventional procedures performed for the management of acute and chronic pain. Concomitantly, there has also been an increase in the complication rate related to these procedures. The aim of this narrative review is to summarize the primary complications associated with commonly performed image-guided (fluoroscopic- or ultrasound-guided) interventional procedures. We conclude that although complications from interventional pain procedures can be mitigated to a certain degree, they cannot be eliminated altogether. In order to avoid adverse events, patient safety should be given considerable attention and physicians should be constantly aware of the possibility of developing complications.

Keywords: analgesics; chronic pain; epidural injection; facet joints; opioid; pain management.

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Conflict of interest statement

Dr Giuliano Lo Bianco reports personal fees from Stryker Italia, outside the submitted work. Dr Andres Tinnirello reports personal fees from Avanos Medical Belgium, outside the submitted work. Dr Michael E Schatman is a reseach consultant for Modoscript and part of the Scientific Steering Committee for Collegium, outside the submitted work. The authors report no other conflicts of interest in this work.

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