• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제18권1호
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• pp.19-22
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• 2005

Background: Most terminal cancer patients suffered from intractable pain. For the treatment of these patients, opioids, via various routes, are usually administered. Continuous epidural opioid, especially morphine, administration is a good method for the management of intractable cancer pain. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 347 terminal cancer patients, who had been treated with continuous epidural morphine infusion, between 1999 and 2004. For the epidural infusion, an epidural catheter was inserted, tunneled subcutaneously and exited from the anterior chest or abdomen. Multiday $Infursor^{(R)}$ (Baxter, 0.5 ml/h) was used for the continuous infusion. Results: Of the 347 patients studied, there were 211 males and 136 females. The mean treatment time was 54.7 days, ranging from 5 to 481 days. The mean starting and termination doses of morphine were 32.4 (for 5 days) and 100.0 mg, respectively. The doubling time of the morphine dose was 26.3 days, corresponded to a 3.8 percent increase per day. Incidental catheter removal was the most common side effect, which occurred 130 times in 61 cases. Conclusions: The procedure of epidural catheterization, with subcutaneous tunneling, was simple and inexpensive. Despite the disadvantages, such as incidental catheter removal, it is a useful method for the control of terminal cancer pain.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• 제27권2호
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• pp.77-81
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• 2024

This case report explores the challenges and complexities associated with opioid management of cancer pain, emphasizing the importance of early involvement of a hospice consultation team and the adoption of a multidisciplinary approach to care. A 56-year-old man with advanced pancreatic cancer experienced escalating pain and inappropriate opioid prescriptions, highlighting the shortcomings of traditional pain management approaches. Despite procedural intervention by the attending physician and increased opioid dosages, the patient's condition deteriorated. Subsequently, the involvement of a hospice consultation team, in conjunction with collaborative psychiatric care, led to an overall improvement. The case underscores the necessity of early hospice engagement, psychosocial assessments, and collaborative approaches in the optimization of patient-centered palliative care.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.419-422
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• 1996

Pain arising from pelvic viscera and perineum is frequently associated with discomfort and disability and caused by local trauma, inflammation and malignancy within the pelvis. Although various interventions have been proposed for the management of intractable perineal pain, their efficacy and applications are limited. The ganglion impar is a solitary retroperitoneal structure located at the level of the sacrococcygeal junction that marks the terminations of sympathetic chains. We propose that blockade of the ganglion impar is an effective method in the management of patient suffered from perianal pain due to advanced rectal cancer.

• 임상간호연구
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• 제16권3호
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• pp.25-37
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine potential factors related to the management of cancer pain, that is, hospital institutional factors as well as personal aspects of nurses. Methods: This study was a descriptive research study in which 229 RNs working in 2 tertiary medical institutions in Seoul and 4 secondary medical institutions in Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi were surveyed. Results: It was found that nurses' knowledge about pain intervention, their working division and their knowledge about the use of analgesics had different effects on their pharmacologic interventions. These 3 variables explained 14.5% of the variance regarding pharmacologic interventions. On the other hand, nurses' knowledge about pain interventions and nursing organization were variables affecting non-pharmacologic interventions by the nurses. These two variables explained 22.1% of the variance regarding non-pharmacologic interventions by the nurses. Conclusion: The findings indicate that nursing organization, one of hospital institutional factors, had significant effects on non-pharmacologic interventions. Therefore, to increase effective pain management by nurses, an organizational system should be established such as placement of nurse practitioners, improvement of nurses' autonomy in pain management, and development and distribution of standardized guidelines.

• 가정간호학회지
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.55-62
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• 2010

Purpose: This study investigated the sought to identify the pain management knowledge and attitude of nurses in internal medicine and surgery stream wards and intensive care units to obtain basic information needed for improved pain control. Method: Data was collected through self-reported questionnaires and analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test and ANOVA using SPSS Win 12.0. Results: Pain management knowledge score averaged 51.1 out of 100, with significant differences evident depending on age, marital status, educational level, position, total work career, working department and cancer care-giving experience. Pain management attitude score averaged 2.9 out of 4, and significant differences were evident depending on age, marital status, educational level, position, total work career, working department, cancer care-giving experience, education experience and number of patients treated. Conclusion: Further studies are necessary to develop effective nursing knowledge and attitude education programs and evaluation such as discussion by cases, workshops, system of expert help for uncontrollable pain or a multi-disciplinary pain management task force. In addition, patient satisfaction level with pain management should be assessed and the responses reflected practically.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제9권1호
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• pp.239-243
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• 1996

MS-Contin is an oral controlled-release preparation of morphine sulfate that has been used widely in the management of advanced cancer pain. It prolongs plasma concentration of morphine with no observable accumulation properties following repeated dosing, thereby promoting uninterrupted sleep and hopefully improving patient's quality of life. The common side effects of MS Contin are nausea, vomiting, drowsiness and constipation. But these symptoms are usually mild and respiratory depression is a rare problem. We experienced respiratory depression during oral administration of MS contin for the pain management of advanced gall bladder cancer of 76 years old male patient with metastasis at liver, intestine and cervical lymph node. After we increased the dosage of MS Contin from 160mg to 220mg per day, due to abdominal pain, we observed morphine reaction of MS Contin overdose such as pinpoint pupil, deeply slow respiration below 8/minute, and drowsiness. After intravenous bolus injection of 0.4 mg naloxone followed by continuous administration of 0.2 mg/hr for 4 hours, the patient regained consciousness. The administered route of morphine was changed to intravenous PCA (patient controlled analgesia). There was no aspiration sign as confirmed by chest x-ray. The patient was comfortable and delayed no signs of respiratory depression until now.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권15호
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• pp.6711-6714
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• 2015

Background: Insomnia is a common condition in cancer patients. In spite of the high prevalence its associations have not been well studied. Existing data suggests that insomnia is related to depression and pain. However, the impact of ongoing chemotherapy on sleep is not investigated. Aim: To study the relationship between insomnia and chemotherapy after analysing confounding variables. Materials and Methods: Consecutive patients who visited New England Oncology Clinic in Tamworth were recruited. Insomnia was assessed with the Bergen insomnia scale. The Montgomery Asberg Depression rating scale was used to measure depression. Pain was assessed with the Brief Pain inventory. Chronic medical conditions, type of cancer, side effects to chemotherapy, role of steroids and other drugs were studied as confounders. Results: A total of 56 patients participated in the study. Age ranged from 33 to 83 years (mean: 63.6, SD=10.97). There were 29 men and 27 women. 42 patients received at least one form of chemotherapy and 15 were receiving radiotherapy at the time of assessment. Mean insomnia score was significantly higher in those receiving chemotherapy than in those without chemotherapy (8.92 vs 17.2, two tailed p=0.005, 95% CI=2.63-13.71). There was no significant variation in insomnia scores in terms of chronic medical condition, type of cancer, psychiatric history, use of steroids or adverse effects of chemotherapy. However, total insomnia score was correlated with depression rating score (Pearson correlation, r=0.39, p=0.003) and magnitude of pain (r=0.37, p=0.006). On regression analysis only pain was found to be predictive of insomnia. Conclusions: Insomnia in patients with cancer is found to be associated with concurrent chemotherapy and correlated with degree of depression and pain. Identifying factors related to insomnia in cancer population has implications in its management and patient education.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제6권1호
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• pp.100-104
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• 1993

Malignant tumors of the paranasal sinuses are quite rare entity, with maxillary neoplasms accounting for less than 1 percent of all head and neck malignancies. When considering the paranasal sinuses alone, 77 percent of cancers arise in the maxillary sinuses. There is no situation more frustrating than the management of the patients with chronic facial pain due to cancer. The initial step in managing patients with cancer pain is the use of oncologic therapy in the form of radiotherapy, surgery, chemotherapy, alone or combined, either to effect a cure or decrease the size of the tumor and thus decrease or eliminate the pain. When oncologic therapy is ineffective in providing relief, the pain must be treated by one or more of the followings: Systemic analgesics and adjuvant drugs, psychologic techniques of analgesia, neurostimulating techniques, neuroablative surgical procedures, regional analgesia with local anesthetics or neurolytic blocks. An 82-year old patient had severe pain of the orbital and infraorbital region due to squamous cell carcinoma of the maxillary sinus. We successfully treated this patient with the percutaneous retrogasserian ethanol gangliolysis by a H$\ddot{a}$rtel approach, and the analgesia lasts until the death of the patient.

• 한국임상약학회지
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.30-35
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• 2011

The objective of this study was to find out drug use pattern of narcotic analgesics in university hospitals in Korea. A university hospital located in Kyungbuk province was chosen for this study. The drug use pattern was analyzed in terms of ingredient, administration route, patient type, and attending department. Amount of drug usage was counted by unit dose defined by the number of ampule or vial for injectable, tablet or capsule for oral, and each for patch preparations. Result showed that 11 narcotic analgesic ingredients were used during 2007-2009, and the drug usage was increased by about 20% annually during the period. Proportion of oral preparations used for pain management was about two third of all narcotic analgesics usage and kept increasing during the period. Proportion of the drug usage for outpatients was also steadily increased. Notably, the usage of oral preparations of oxycodone, morphine, and hydromorphone was rapidly increased for the management of cancer pain while the usage of codeine and codeine-containing composite preparations for cancer pain were minimal (<10%). About 90% of all narcotic analgesics were used by physicians in Internal Department, especially in Oncology Division of the Department. These findings suggest that pain management is becoming more aggressive and in agreement with WHO's guidelines regarding selection of administration route. However, in terms of 3-step ladder for cancer pain management, the drug use pattern was not congruent to WHO's guidelines. Therefore, in conclusion, it appears that physicians need to try to be congruent to the guidelines when using narcotic analgesics for cancer pain.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제6권1호
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• pp.1-22
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• 1993