There has been an increasing trends in the procedures of spine surgery in recent years. Postoperative chronic pain in spine surgery can be caused by damage or instability of spinal column; pressure on nerves or segment of spinal cord; or can be due to long lasting nociception caused by inflammation, infection or tumour. Pain that lasts longer than 3 - 6 months after surgery can be define as postoperative chronic pain. The incidence of postoperative chronic pain after surgical procedures, was between 10- 50 %. Coping with any type of chronic pain is quite difficult. Chronic postoperative pain can be treated with: NSAIDs, paracetamol, opioids, anticonvulsants and invasive technics such as nerve blocs, central blocs.

Introduction: Both peripheral and central nociceptive mechanisms are responsible in chronic TTH. Analgegics are used in the acute treatment of chronic TTH and antidepressants are used in prophylactic treatment. However, further studies are needed to bring out new treatment options. The aim of our study is to investigate the effectiveness of Botulinum Neuro-toxin Type-A (BoNTA) in the treatment of chronic TTH associated with pericranial tenderness (PT).

Materials and methods: 14 patients with chronic TTH with PT were included in the study. 50 units Botox® injection was applied to the pericranial muscles (5 units for each muscles bilaterally: frontal, temporal, semispinalis capitis, spenius capitis and trapezius muscles) for each patient. Severity of headache was evaluated by VAS (Visual Analogue Scale) and number of days with headache per month were recorded before treatment and 2nd and 4th months after treatment.

Findings: Number of days with headache per month were 19.57±3.25 before treatment, 15.28±4.37 at the 2nd month after treatment and 15,78±3,90 at the 4th month after treatment. Severity of headache was 65.71±9.16 before the treatment, 50.71±13.56 at the 2nd month after treatment and 54.28±10.35 at the 4th month after treatment (p<0.05). Frequency and severity of headache before treatment were significantly decreased at the 2nd month after treatment and this significance continued at the 4th month after treatment (p<0.05).

Result: BoNTA treatment may be usefull in the treatment of patients with chronic TTH associated with PT.

Background: Intraoperative remifentanil administration results in acute opioid tolerance that is manifested by increased postoperative pain, opioid requirement and specifically periincisional hyperalgesia. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of magnesium in preventing remifentanil-induced hyperalgesia.
Material-Method: This study was performed on 60 (ASA I-II) patients planned for abdominal hysterectomy. Sixty patients were randomized into two equal groups. Before anesthesia, saline solution was given to the patients in group I (control group), 50 mg/kg i.v. magnesium in group II (magnesium group). Anesthesia was induced with 1 µg/kg remifentanil combined with 4-5 mg/kg thiopental and 0.5 mg/kg atracurium, maintained with 0.5 MAC sevoflurane and 0,4 µg/kg/min remifentanil in both groups. Sevoflurane concentration was titrated according to autonomic responses. Thirty minutes before the anticipated end of surgery, a 0.15 mg/kg bolus dose of morphine was intravenously. At the end of surgery, patients received tramadol i.v via a PCA device. Pain score, tramadol demand and delivery were assessed at 2, 4, 6, 12, 24 h after surgery. Total tramadol consumption were recorded for 24-48 h after surgery. Periincisional hyperalgesia was assessed by measuring pain threshold to pressure by using an algometer and electronic von Frey flaments before operation and at 28-48 h postoperatively.
Results: The pain scores and cumulative tramadol consumption were significantly lower in the magnesium group compared with the control group (p<0.05). Pressure and mechanical pain threshold were significantly less at 24-48 h postoperatively in control group than magnesium group. Conclusion: Magnesium administered preemptively reduced remifentanil–induced hyperalgesia.

The labor pain is one of the most severe pains that a woman could ever be suffered. Today, many medical and psychological methods are used in an effort to reduce labor pain.Epidural analgesia is the best current method used for the purposes of obstetric analgesia.
The study was carried out on 60 ASA-I pregnant women whose 3 to 6 cm of cervical dilatation, treated in Health Ministry Istanbul Education and Research Hospital, Gynecology and Obstetrics Clinic, within vaginal labor process.
With use of patient controlled epidural analgesia method, the bupivacaine combined with low dose fentanyl were administered to 30 pregnant women (Group B). Levobupivacaine, combined with low dose fentanyl applied with the same method was administered to another 30 pregnant women (Group L). Between the two groups, the hemodynamic parameters on the mother and fetus, the course of the labor process, severity of pain, its influences on newborn and mother satisfaction were compared.
In our study, there was no difference as to motor block development between groups, but the sensory block was monitored less in group L at the minutes 15, 30, 45 and 90. Furthermore, the 5 minutes pain score was found lower in group L. The VAS values at the other times were similar between groups.
In conclusion, with the usage of 0.125% bupivacaine or 0.125% levobupivacaine, sufficient labor analgesia is achieved with patient controlled epidural analgesia method at the same side effect frequency. Consequently, both local analgesic medicines are seemed to be safely used in labor analgesia.

Kanser tedavisinde sık sık venöz giriş yapılması, tedavinin uzun süreli olması, sklerozan ajanların kullanılması ve fazla miktarda sıvı verilmesi nedeni ile son yıllarda tedavilerinin uygulanmasında santral venöz giriş araçlarının rolü artmıştır. Kemoterapi portları göğüs veya koldaki ven içersine cerrahi olarak yerleştirilen ince, yumuşak, plastik tüplerdir. Port kateteri büyük ölçülere sahip değildir ve oldukça fazla avantaj sağlamaktadır. Bununla birlikte kateterlerin infeksiyon, tromboz, mekanik bozukluk, pnömotoraks, arterial yaralanma gibi riskleri vardır Bu çalışmada Aralık 2006-Kasım 2008 tarihleri arasında kliniğimizde subklavyen ven aracılığı ile kalıcı kateterizasyon uygulanan 82 olgu retrospektif olarak değerlendirildi. Takılan 82 kateterin 3(%3.66)’ünde port tıkanması, 2(%2.44)’sinde infeksiyon, 1(%1.22)’inde damar dışına migrasyon, 1(%1.22)’de de kateterde yırtılma ile birlikte olan komplikasyonlar tespit edildi.
Sonuç olarak; deneyimli kişiler tarafından yapılması koşuluyla venöz port takılmasının güvenli ve konforlu bir yöntem olduğu kanısındayız.

Objectives: The spring-loaded syringe is a loss of resistance syringe that provide a more objective sign that the epidural space has been entered compared with the traditional techniques. The aim of this study was to compare the time required to locate the epidural space and the backache incidence with the spring-loaded (SL), loss of resistance (LOR) and the hanging drop (HD) techniques for epidural blocks in patients undergoing transurethral resection procedure.
Methods: Sixty patients undergoing transurethral resections were enrolled in the study. The patients were randomly assigned to one of three groups. Epidural block was performed in the first group with a spring-loaded syringe (n=20), in the second group with loss-of-resistance syringe (n=20), and in the third group with the hanging drop technique (n=20). The required time to locate the epidural space, the number of attempts, the incidence of dural puncture and the backache incidence were assessed during the procedure and for four weeks after the procedure in all patients.
Results: The required time to locate the epidural space was 29.1±9.16 seconds in Group 1; 45.25±19.58 seconds in Group 2, and 47.35±11.42 seconds in Group 3 (p<0.001). In Group 1this was significantly shorter than the other two groups. There was no significant difference in the number of attempts, the incidence of dural puncture and backache incidence between the three groups (p>0.05).
Conclusion: The use of SL syringe was found to have a shorter time period to locate the epidural space when compared with the LOR syringe and hanging drop technique.

Meralgia paresthetica is an entrapment mononeuropathy of lateral femoral cutaneous nerve, which results in localized area of paresthesia and numbness on the anterolateral aspect of the thigh. We describe the use of alcohol neurolysis of lateral femoral cutaneous nerve in a 74-year-old female who presented with paresthesia over antero-lateral aspect of her left thigh, which was consistent with meralgia paresthetica. Diagnostic block with local anaesthetic confirmed the diagnosis but only archieved temporary pain relief. Alcohol neurolysis was then offered and patient responded well with no complication. The patient experienced prolonged pain relief at 6-month follow-up, with return of ability to ambulate and perform daily activity. Alcohol neurolysis of lateral femoral cutaneous nerve is safe, effective and able to provide sustained pain relief for recurrent meralgia paresthetica.

Kyphoscoliosis is a progressive disease that worsens with age. While applying anesthesia, kyphosis and/or scoliosis can lead to difficulty in both during endotracheal intubation and also performing regional interventional technics. In addition to aging and the direct effects of deformity such as neurological deficities and immobility; deterioration in cardiopulmonary functions can also develop in these patients. In this case, we aimed to report combined spinal epidural anesthesia experience in a 60 year-old woman with advanced kyphoscoliosis who underwent left femur periprostetic fracture operation. Spinal anesthesia was performed through L3-L4 intervertebral space by single dose of 10 mg %0.5 hyperbaric bupivacaine and epidural catheter was taken in for additional anesthesia and postoperative analgesia. Sufficient sensorial and motor block was provided and sensorial block was highen up to T6 dermatome level. There was no complication during the peroperative period and succesful anesthesia was established. Finally we conclude that combined spinal epidural anesthesia is a good alternative to general anesthesia in both reducing and preventing hemodynamic and respiratory complications for an elderly patient with kyphoscoliosis.