Patient demographic characteristics, and past hospitalizations/surgeries were collected through questionnaires completed before the first appointment. Patients and parents also completed validated pain-related questionnaires. Current pain medication intake, previous pain medication taken, and previous medical treatment for pain were also collected. The team discussed the patient and parents’ self-assessment before the initial evaluation and were confirmed through face-to-face interviews.
Before the initial evaluation, each patient underwent a specific protocol of mechanical and thermal QST to obtain a comprehensive profile of somatosensory functioning and pain modulatory responses. The results of the QST were available during the first evaluation and were used to personalize the treatment program of each patient.13 (link),14 (link)
During an interdisciplinary face-to-face interview, we evaluated the intensity, duration and frequency of the pain over the previous month using a numerical rating scale (NRS) ranging from 0 to 10, representing no pain at all and the worst pain imaginable, respectively. A pain specialist and a physiotherapist then conducted a detailed physical exam. This was followed by interviews with the patients/caregivers conducted by a psychologist, a social worker and a nurse clinician. At the end of the evaluation, the diagnosis and personalized treatment plan (eg medications, physiotherapy, psychology, nursing, social worker, and interventional procedures) was discussed with the patients and their parents/caregivers.13–18 (link) Medication prescribed included non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (eg ibuprofen, celecoxib), muscle relaxants (eg baclofen), opiates (eg morphine), anti-depressants (eg amitriptyline), anti-epileptics (eg gabapentin), anti-migraine agents, oral corticosteroids, sedatives (eg benzodiazepines), or other analgesics and antipyretics agents (eg acetaminophen, clonidine, magnesium, etc.). Interventional procedures included primarily peripheral nerve and interfascial plane single blocks, pulsed radiofrequency or local infiltrations.15 (link)
The evaluations, treatment, and follow-up provided by the Center for Complex Pain are entirely covered by the Quebec public health system. All the data gathered from the auto-evaluation and from the initial evaluation was prospectively documented in the database of the Center for Complex Pain and transferred to the patient’s electronic chart.
Before the initial evaluation, each patient underwent a specific protocol of mechanical and thermal QST to obtain a comprehensive profile of somatosensory functioning and pain modulatory responses. The results of the QST were available during the first evaluation and were used to personalize the treatment program of each patient.13 (link),14 (link)
During an interdisciplinary face-to-face interview, we evaluated the intensity, duration and frequency of the pain over the previous month using a numerical rating scale (NRS) ranging from 0 to 10, representing no pain at all and the worst pain imaginable, respectively. A pain specialist and a physiotherapist then conducted a detailed physical exam. This was followed by interviews with the patients/caregivers conducted by a psychologist, a social worker and a nurse clinician. At the end of the evaluation, the diagnosis and personalized treatment plan (eg medications, physiotherapy, psychology, nursing, social worker, and interventional procedures) was discussed with the patients and their parents/caregivers.13–18 (link) Medication prescribed included non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (eg ibuprofen, celecoxib), muscle relaxants (eg baclofen), opiates (eg morphine), anti-depressants (eg amitriptyline), anti-epileptics (eg gabapentin), anti-migraine agents, oral corticosteroids, sedatives (eg benzodiazepines), or other analgesics and antipyretics agents (eg acetaminophen, clonidine, magnesium, etc.). Interventional procedures included primarily peripheral nerve and interfascial plane single blocks, pulsed radiofrequency or local infiltrations.15 (link)
The evaluations, treatment, and follow-up provided by the Center for Complex Pain are entirely covered by the Quebec public health system. All the data gathered from the auto-evaluation and from the initial evaluation was prospectively documented in the database of the Center for Complex Pain and transferred to the patient’s electronic chart.
