Linked Life Data

11600260

Source:http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/id/11600260

Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
7
pubmed:dateCreated
2001-10-15
pubmed:abstractText
Methadone is used increasingly as a second-line opioid in the management of cancer pain refractory to conventional opioids. Recent case studies suggest that its use as an analgesic could be extended to non-cancer pain, especially neuropathic pain. The present case study reports, for the first time, the efficacy of methadone in a burn patient experiencing neuropathic pain in his healed wounds. The patient sustained extensive (55% total body surface area) chemical burns and developed chronic burning sensations, particularly in the lower limbs where skin grafting had been performed. Conventional pharmacotherapies against neuropathic pain were attempted to control pain for over 5 years. The agents used included long- and short-acting opioids, amitriptyline, clonazepam, and gabapentin, but they all failed to relieve the pain. When methadone (5 mg every 12 h) was introduced, it significantly alleviated the patient's pain within a few days of administration. The patient has now been taking methadone (15 mg every 12 h) for 10 months and reports that the opioid caused 70% pain relief and a 55% amelioration in his quality of life. Although these results are based on a case report, they suggest that a switch to methadone might be useful in some burn patients who have developed chronic neuropathic pain unrelieved by conventional pharmacotherapies. Methadone, however, needs to be titrated with vigilance and thus should be administered by a physician experienced with its use in the treatment of chronic pain.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Nov
pubmed:issn
0305-4179
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
27
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
771-5
pubmed:dateRevised
2006-11-15
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2001
pubmed:articleTitle
Successful use of methadone in the treatment of chronic neuropathic pain arising from burn injuries: a case-study.
pubmed:affiliation
Centre des Grands Brûlés, Hôtel-Dieu du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal and Department of Anesthesiology, Faculty of Medecine, University of Montréal, Québec, H2W IT8, Montréal, Canada.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Case Reports, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't