Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

R G Black

Publications and source records attributed to R G Black.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1978

The MMPI and chronic pain: the diagnosis of psychogenic pain.

This study investigates the capacity of the MMPI to discriminate among groups of patients with different types of pain. When multivariate analysis of variance is used, the standard set of MMPI scales discriminates between acute pain and chronic pain but not between chronic pain of two different etiologies (surgical-iatrogenic vs. unknown). The three scales that discriminate acute from chronic pain patients are those in the "neurotic triad," Hs, D, and Hy. The possibility that the unknown pain etiology group could be broken down into psychogenic pain and undetected somatogenic pathology subgroups was explored using cluster analysis. This procedure did not yield any group of patients who could be identified as having chronic pain of psychogenic origin. These results suggest that the MMPI is not a reliable tool for the differential diagnosis of chronic pain. It appears, however, that patterns of findings are partly contingent on population characteristics. Researchers should be cautious about generalizing to populations other than those from which samples are drawn.

Diagnosis, Differential↗
PubMed1976

Percutaneous radiofrequency trigeminal gangliolysis in the treatment of tic douloureux.

The treatment of tic douloureux was dramatically altered in 1962 with the demonstration that carbamazepine (Tegretol(R)) alone or in combination with diphenylhydantoin sodium (Dilantin(R)) was effective in controlling the painful paroxysms. However, 30 percent of the patients so treated have not been successfully managed and some type of surgical therapy is required to control their pain. A wide variety of surgical alternatives are available but they all trade a sensory deficit for pain relief and have a significant risk of morbidity and mortality. Experience with percutaneous radiofrequency trigeminal gangliolysis has indicated that this new technique is capable of producing lasting relief of tic douloureux in as many as 95 percent of the patients. To date there have been no deaths from this procedure and a very low incidence of minor complications. It achieves this high success rate at the expense of only partial sensory deficits restricted to a circumscribed area of the face. No other surgical alternative carries such a high long-term success rate with a low complication rate. We believe that percutaneous radiofrequency trigeminal gangliolysis has become the surgical treatment of choice for tic douloureux.

Electrocoagulation↗
PubMed1975

Relief of pain by transcutaneous stimulation.

A series of 198 patients with chronic pain of diverse etiology was carefully analyzed for epidemiologic and descriptive factors which might influence the response to transcutaneous stimulation. The overall series included 12 1/2% with long-term success, and 68% with partial or short-term relief. There were no consistent specific diagnoses, or epidemiologic or descriptive factors that made good results from stimulation predictable. Stimulation of the painful area itself was not always necessary for pain relief. Favorable responses to transcutaneous stimulation were usually correlated with the continued existence of significant sensory input from the painful region. The authors conclude that transcutaneous stimulation is a valuable therapeutic modality for some patients with chronic pain.

Adult↗
PubMed1975

Diagnostic and therapeutic blocks in pain therapy.

The skillful use of nerve blocks is important as a diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic tool in the management of chronic and acute pain problems. It is important that these blocks be performed not as technical exercises, but with responsibility, skill, and understanding--and in collaboration with both the patient and fellow physicians, so as to minimize or avoid harmful side effects and give the earliest possible relief from suffering.

Humans↗