Special Considerations and Recommendations for Interventions for Pediatric Chronic Pain

Abstract

In select cases, interventional pain management techniques can bean effective adjunct to the multidisciplinary care of pediatric patients with chronic pain. The secret to success stems in proper patient selection and in delineating clear goals and expectations—motivated patients do well. Comfort measures ranging from distraction through general anesthesia should be employed to alleviate anxiety and distress, and to provide optimal working conditions for the proceduralist. In the appropriate context, the occasion to provide interventional care can be a rewarding role for the anesthesiologist to play in chronic pediatric pain patient care.