BACKGROUND: In dental extractions, particularly when local anesthesia is used, it usually offers analgesic relief for a few hours. However, pain can become a notable concern in the immediate postoperative period due to the trauma experienced by both soft and hard oral tissues.
OBJECTIVE: This systematic review aimed to evaluate the most effective strategies for managing postoperative pain in primary tooth extractions.
METHODS: Two examiners conducted a search across five electronic databases: MEDLINE (via PubMed), Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, CENTRAL, and OpenGray. Studies were included if they met the following criteria after reviewing their titles and abstracts: they involved children and evaluated pain management following primary tooth extraction. Subsequently, articles that described extractions performed under any form of sedation, were not conducted under local anesthesia, in an outpatient setting, and in children aged 0 to 12 years, or were not randomized controlled trials, were excluded.
RESULTS: The search yielded 374 relevant articles, of which 9 were included. Among these, 5 utilized preoperative medications as a pain management strategy, one evaluated low-level laser therapy (LLLT) postoperatively, one assessed calendula drops postoperatively, and another explored virtual reality during the procedure and arnica in solution both pre and postoperatively.
CONCLUSIONS: Among all the strategies evaluated, the strategy involving analgesics administered 30 minutes before tooth extractions was supported by better-designed studies. However, there is a high risk of bias.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this scoping review was to evaluate literature involving opioid-sparing medications in critically ill patients with a focus on clinically meaningful outcomes.
METHODS: Scoping review using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews.
METHODS: Intensive care unit.
METHODS: Adult patients in an intensive care unit setting.
METHODS: None.
METHODS: PubMed and Cochrane Library were searched from October 1, 2019 to June 1, 2023. Inclusion criteria consisted of randomized controlled trials evaluating adjunctive analgesic use in adult patients in an intensive care unit setting.
RESULTS: There were 343 citations and titles identified in the initial search, with 328 remaining after removal of duplicates, 294 excluded at title and abstract screening, 34 available for full text review, and six included in the scoping review. Most studies reported modest reductions in opioid use as a secondary endpoint. Improvement in clinical outcomes such as reduction in duration of mechanical ventilation or delirium were reported in two trials with dexmedetomidine.
CONCLUSIONS: In recently published trials of adjunctive agents in critically ill patients, opioid-sparing effects were small. Data to support improvements in clinical outcomes remains limited.

OBJECTIVE: Little is known about the optimal analgesia regimen after HTO. Thus, this study systematically reviewed the literature on clinical and patient-reported outcomes of pain management strategies for patients after HTO.
METHODS: A comprehensive search of the PubMed, Cochrane CENTRAL, and CINAHL databases was conducted from inception through September 2023. Studies were included if they evaluated pain reduction with analgesia strategies after HTO and were excluded if they did not report pain control outcomes.
RESULTS: Five studies with 217 patients were included. Patients with a multimodal intraoperative injection cocktail to the knee, femoral nerve block (FNB), or adductor canal block (ACB) for HTO had significant improvement in visual analog scale (VAS) and numerical rating scale (NRS) scores in the first 12 h postoperatively compared to controls. Patients on duloxetine had significantly lower NRS scores at 1, 7, and 14 days postoperatively and significantly lower nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) usage throughout the two-week postoperative period than the control group. Patients receiving an ACB had significantly lower opioid consumption than controls at 12 h postoperative. In patients with an FNB or ACB, no significant difference in quadriceps strength or time to straight leg raise postoperatively was observed compared to controls.
CONCLUSIONS: A multimodal periarticular injection cocktail, FNB, or an ACB effectively reduces pain on the first day after HTO, with an ACB able to reduce opioid consumption on the first postoperative day. Duloxetine combined with an ACB effectively decreases pain for two weeks postoperatively while reducing NSAID consumption in patients after HTO.
METHODS: IV.

There are limited data available on clinical outcomes after stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for nonspinal bone metastases. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to characterize local control (LC), overall survival (OS), pain response rates, and toxicity after SBRT. The primary outcomes were 1-year LC, incidence of acute and late grade 3 to 5 toxicities, and overall pain response rate at 3 months. The secondary outcome was 1-year OS. The Newcastle-Ottawa scale was used for assessment of study bias, with a median score of 5 for included studies (range, 4-8). Weighted random-effects meta-analyses were conducted to estimate effect sizes. We identified 528 patients with 597 nonspinal bone lesions in 9 studies (1 prospective study and 8 retrospective observational studies) treated with SBRT. The estimated 1-year LC rate was 94.6% (95% CI, 87.0%-99.0%). The estimated 3-month combined partial and complete pain response rate after SBRT was 87.7% (95% CI, 55.1%-100.0%). The estimated combined acute and late grade 3 to 5 toxicity rate was 0.5% (95% CI, 0%-5.0%), with an estimated pathologic fracture rate of 3.1% (95% CI, 0.2%-9.1%). The estimated 1-year OS rate was 71.0% (95% CI, 51.7%-87.0%). SBRT results in excellent LC and palliation of symptoms with minimal related toxicity. Prospective investigations are warranted to further characterize long-term outcomes of SBRT for patients with nonspinal bone metastases.

This review analyzes the controversies surrounding lidocaine (LIDO), a widely recognized local anesthetic, by exploring its multifaceted effects on pain control in the perioperative setting. The article critically analyzes debates about lidocaine\'s efficacy, safety, and optimal administration methods. While acknowledging its well-documented analgesic attributes, the text highlights the ongoing controversies in its application. The goal is to provide clinicians with a comprehensive understanding of the current discourse, enabling informed decisions about incorporating lidocaine into perioperative protocols. On the other hand, emphasizes the common uses of lidocaine and its potential role in personalized medicine. It discusses the medication\'s versatility, including its application in anesthesia, chronic pain, and cardiovascular diseases. The text recognizes lidocaine\'s widespread use in medical practice and its ability to be combined with other drugs, showcasing its adaptability for individualized treatments. Additionally, it explores the incorporation of lidocaine into hyaluronic acid injections and its impact on pharmacokinetics, signaling innovative approaches. The discussion centers on how lidocaine, within the realm of personalized medicine, can offer safer and more comfortable experiences for patients through tailored treatments.

Painless treatment determines the quality of pediatric dental care. Although local anesthesia has been used to manage pain in dentistry, children often cite traditional aspirating syringes as a symbol of fear and pain. Adequate pain control during dental procedures may help alleviate fear and anxiety and instill positive oral health attitudes in children. Newer approaches such as intranasal spray, centbucridine, jet injectors, buzzy devices, and acupressure have been developed to help dentists provide near-painless injections while reducing dental anxiety. This review aims to summarize newer approaches to alleviate pain and anxiety in children.

Pain in the orofacial region or within the tooth is one of the most common complaints patients report to a dental office. An efficient practitioner must have adequate knowledge and tools to address and remedy the problem. Pain control in dentistry has a rich history and learning about it gives an insight into how the current modalities being used came into existence. As dentistry keeps evolving, newer and more efficient modalities have been developed for pain control. Dental pain is primarily remedied by dental practitioners and clinicians involved in emergency medicine; it may result due to various causes, mainly insulting the tooth or complications involved in and after oral surgery. Several modalities have been developed to reduce and eliminate this, including pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment modalities. Pharmacological modalities include using drugs. Many medications are used for pain management, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids, and muscle relaxants. Non-pharmacological modalities include behavior control methods based on several theories of pain. These modalities are used mainly for children, but some can also be used for adult patients. Several advances in delivery systems for local anesthesia involve using newer technologies to deliver a sustained dose of anesthetic agent. This review aims to enlist both modalities of pain control management in dental practices along with the newer advancements in this field.

Ketamine is a phencyclidine (PCP) derivative, which primarily acts as a noncompetitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist. Ketamine serves as an analgesic and a dissociative sedative that produces potent analgesia, sedation, and amnesia while preserving spontaneous respiratory drive. It is rapidly gaining acceptance in the management of pain as multiple studies have demonstrated its reliable efficacy and a wide margin of safety. This article reviews some of these studies, the history of ketamine, and its pharmacological and pharmacokinetic properties. The article also discusses the use of ketamine in the trauma setting, including joint reductions, procedures, sedation, and pain control, as well as dosing recommendations.

UNASSIGNED: Virtual reality is a promising pain control strategy for various pain conditions. This umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses aims to evaluate the analgesic effects of virtual reality.
UNASSIGNED: We searched for the relevant reviews in Scopus, PubMed and Cochrane library. Our primary outcome was pain, with secondary outcomes including disability, general health status, patient satisfaction, depression, balance, fear of movement, and adverse events. The quality of included articles was evaluated using the AMSTAR-2 tool.
UNASSIGNED: 21 systematic reviews and meta-analyses with 274 studies and 17,680 patients were included in this review. All the reviews concluded benefits of virtual reality in managing pain conditions, including chronic and pain.
UNASSIGNED: This umbrella review demonstrates successful application of virtual reality in pain control, including perioperative, periprocedural, and chronic pain settings. Virtual reality can be used as an alternative therapy for pain management in children and adults.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this scoping review was to determine the effectiveness of the platelet-rich fibrin in the control of pain associated with alveolar osteitis.
METHODS: Reporting was based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Extension for Scoping Reviews. A literature search was conducted in the PubMed and Scopus databases to identify all clinical studies on the application of platelet-rich fibrin in the control of pain caused by alveolar osteitis. Data were extracted independently by two reviewers and qualitatively described.
RESULTS: The initial search returned 81 articles, with 49 identified after duplicates removal; of these, 8 were selected according to the inclusion criteria. Three of the eight studies were randomized controlled clinical trials, and four were non-randomized clinical studies, two of which were controlled. One study was case series. In all of these studies, pain control was evaluated using the visual analog scale. Overall, the use of platelet-rich fibrin resulted effective in the control of pain determined by alveolar osteitis.
CONCLUSIONS: Within the limits of this scoping review, the application of platelet-rich fibrin in the post-extra-extraction alveolus reduced the pain associated with alveolar osteitis in almost all the included studies. Nevertheless, high-quality randomized trials with adequate sample size are warranted to draw firm conclusions.
CONCLUSIONS: Pain associated with alveolar osteitis causes discomfort to the patient and is challenging to be treated. Use of platelet-rich fibrin could be a promising clinical strategy for pain control in alveolar osteitis if its effectiveness will be confirmed by further high-quality studies.