Lidocaine Patch Research Articles

A Randomized, Open-Label, Bioequivalence Study of Lidocaine Topical System 1.8% and Lidocaine Patch 5% in Healthy Subjects.

PurposeThis study was designed to characterize drug delivery with lidocaine topical system 1.8% vs lidocaine patch 5% through 2 PK studies.Patients and MethodsTwo Phase 1, single-center, open-label, randomized PK studies were performed in healthy adults. In Study 1, 56 subjects received a single intravenous bolus of 0.7 mg/kg of lidocaine as a lead-in to allow for the accurate determination of apparent dose of both products. After a 7-day washout period, subjects were randomized to receive either lidocaine topical system 1.8% or lidocaine patch 5% for 12 hours followed by another 7-day washout period, after which subjects crossed over to receive the other treatment for 12 hours. In Study 2, 54 subjects were randomized to receive either lidocaine topical system 1.8% or lidocaine patch 5% for 12 hours. After a 7-day washout period, subjects crossed over to receive the other treatment. Adhesion and skin irritation assessments were performed after application of the products in Study 2. In both studies, serial blood samples were collected to measure the plasma concentration of lidocaine after product application. Safety assessments and adverse events were monitored in both studies.ResultsThe comparative PK analysis demonstrated that the two products, despite their difference in drug load and strength, are bioequivalent. Both products were well tolerated. In Study 2, dermal response scores (skin tolerability after removal) were similar between lidocaine topical system 1.8% and lidocaine patch 5%, with a mean irritation score per patch <1 (barely perceptible erythema), which is not considered to be clinically significant.ConclusionBioequivalence was demonstrated between lidocaine topical system 1.8% and lidocaine patch 5%. A comparison of the single-time adhesion scores at 12 hours in Study 2 favored lidocaine topical system 1.8% over lidocaine patch 5%. Both products were well tolerated as a single application in healthy adult human subjects.ClinicalTrials.govNCT04144192, NCT04149938.

Prior authorization process improvement for pain medications in an oncology unit: Timely initiation of test claim request form.

7050 Background: Oncology patients with extensive metastatic disease and advanced-stage cancer frequently require controlled medications for pain managements. Insurers require Prior Authorization (PA) for high-cost specialty medications including: Hydromorphone, Oxycodone, Oxymorphone, Fentanyl, Nucynta, Lyrica and Lidocaine patch. Failure to obtain PA may delay patient hospital discharge and attainment of discharge medications, increase patient medication costs, increase hospital readmissions and emergency visits, and exacerbate clinical complications. In order to avoid delays, providers must submit a Claim Request (CR) to initiate the PA process. PA usually takes 48-72 hours after the CR is submitted; therefore, timely CR submission in anticipation of discharge is imperative. Baseline rates for initiating CR in a timely manner was 15%. A quality improvement project was conducted to increase provider-initiated CRs for prescribed pain medications requiring PA and to demonstrate a sustainable process, anchored by development of new policy. Methods: The project revised the provider-initiated CR process by implementing the following interventions: The Electronic Medical Record (EHR) was modified to create a ‘quick link’ to facilitate CR form submissions. The link was made available to providers via their dashboard for easy access to the CR form.The medication reconciliation process was revised to require nurses to send reminders to providers for any of the seven discharge medications requiring CR submission for PA. A new component was incorporated into the discharge planning process by discussing PA and CR during interdisciplinary rounds. Providers and nurses were educated about the revised process. Results: Rates for timely CR submission were collected from the EHR biweekly for 3 months post-intervention. Post-intervention, 77% of timely CR claims increased from baseline of 15% to 87%. Due to the timely initiation of CR, some medications were deemed not to require PA, and the percentage of PA requirement reduced from 95% to 55%. In addition, up to 16% of patients had money refunded as a result of timely CR submission. Conclusions: The new process was effective for ensuring an efficient and effective process for patients who require high-cost controlled medications for pain management, reducing waste and providing a quality experience for the patient. As a result of the project, the new process has become policy and is now being used on other units in the institution for additional medications that requires CR and PA.

The Efficacy, Effectiveness and Safety of 5% Transdermal Lidocaine Patch for Chronic Low Back Pain: A Narrative Review.

Local anesthetics, such as the 5% transdermal lidocaine patch (5LP), have been frequently used in the treatment of musculoskeletal pain, especially chronic low back pain (CLBP). This review compiles the literature available on the efficacy, effectiveness, and safety of 5LP when used for the management of CLBP. A systematic search method revealed seven articles that fit the inclusion criteria. For each study, efficacy, effectiveness, and adverse events data were extracted. We found no randomized controlled trials with substantial evidence to support the use of 5LP in CLBP, despite the presence of nonrandomized noncontrolled trials suggesting its effectiveness for relief of pain. Future randomized controlled trials with clinically useful outcomes are needed to assess the efficacy, effectiveness, and safety of 5LP for CLBP more appropriately.

Lidocaine Patch 1.8% for Moderate to Severe Pain From Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Lidocaine Patch 1.8% for Moderate to Severe Pain From Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

The Efficacy and Safety Profile of Capsaicin 8% Patch Versus 5% Lidocaine Patch in Patients With Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathic Pain: a Randomized, Placebo-controlled Study of South Asian Male Patients

The Efficacy and Safety Profile of Capsaicin 8% Patch Versus 5% Lidocaine Patch in Patients With Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathic Pain: a Randomized, Placebo-controlled Study of South Asian Male Patients

Pain reliefe in viral infections. What role does ozone play? [abstract

PURPOSE: This preliminary study aim to investigate the role of ozone in ameliorating quality of life in patient affected by herpes infections thus reducing post herpetic neuralgia.&#x0D; &#x0D; BACKGROUND: Zoster-associated pain is experienced by approximately 90% of patients. Post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a common consequence of an HSV infection. It is a chronic neuropathic pain condition that persists 3 months or more following an outbreak of shingles. Current interventions for PHN, such as lidocaine patches, opioids, antidepressants, anti-epileptics, electric stimulating catheters, are palliative and often fail to treat the underlying disease. Because multiple contributing factors seem to determine the severity of PHN, the management of chronic pain requires an integrated approach.&#x0D; &#x0D; MATERIAL and METHODS: twelve patients (8 men/ 4 women) suffering for a burning pain in correlation with herpetic infection were electively treated with a Systemic Ozone Therapy on a blood volume of 120 ml mixed with equal volume of ozone/oxygen mixture at 25 mcgr/mL twice a week, following once a week for 2nd and 3rd week. VAS and health questionnaire were measured.&#x0D; &#x0D; RESULTS: the majority of patients showed a VAS reduction in burning pain between 6 (T1) and 12 hr (T2) . At 48 hr (T3) every patient showed an amelioration in quality of sleep. Results at 3 months were comparable.&#x0D; &#x0D; CONCLUSIONS: clarifying the mechanism of action triggered by ozone in reducing pain during viral infection is under investigation. We hypothesize that the moderate oxidative stress induced by Ozone enhances the antioxidant elements giving a final protection of damaged cells, renewing of neural system.&#x0D; Being easy to perform, giving an improvement of night rest with no side effect and well accepted by patients.

Transdermal Lidocaine for Perioperative Pain: a Systematic Review of the Literature.

The purpose of this review is to provide a summary of the perioperative studies that have examined transdermal lidocaine (lidocaine patch) as an analgesic and put the evidence in context of the likely overall benefit of transdermal lidocaine in the perioperative period. Several randomized controlled trials have been published in the past 4 years that concluded transdermal lidocaine can reduce acute pain associated with laparoscopic trocar or cannula insertion. Transdermal lidocaine may reduce short-term pain after surgery in selected surgery types and has a low risk of toxicity but its overall clinical utility in the perioperative setting is questionable. Transdermal lidocaine does not consistently reduce opioid consumption after surgery and has not been shown to improve patient function.

PO 18067 - Application of 5% lidocaine patch to painful surgical scars

Introduction: Chronic postoperative pain, defined as persistent pain at the surgical incision site 3 months after a procedure, is a common complaint in orthopedic practice. Almost 50% of patients who undergo orthopedic surgery are presumably affected by this complaint. The objective of this study is to evaluate the lidocaine patch 5% as a method for neuropathic pain treatment after orthopedic surgery compared with therapeutic massage performed over the incisions. Methods: This is a prospective, randomized clinical trial of 37 patients who underwent orthopedic surgery from January 2015 to February 2017. All individuals were assessed using the pain visual analog scale (VAS) and the 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36) quality of life questionnaire at treatment onset and at 30, 60 and 90 days of treatment. Results: Both groups showed improvement in pain, although the group using the patch showed a greater reduction of pain over time. There were no significant differences in the parameters assessed by the SF-36: physical functioning, physical role functioning, vitality, emotional role functioning, social role functioning, general health perceptions or mental health. The main advantage of the patch lay in the degree of patient satisfaction, which was significantly higher than that of massage, most likely because the patch is easily applied and generates a psychological effect as a drug therapy. Conclusion: The lidocaine patch and massage are effective treatment methods for reducing scar pain that show similar results. The patch is associated with an improvement in the degree of patient satisfaction.

Estudio cuasi experimental de una intervención sobre el manejo farmacológico del dolor crónico no oncológico en atención primaria

ObjectiveTo analyse the impact of a formative / informative intervention on the treatment of non-oncological chronic pain in Primary Care. DesignQuasi-experimental study before-after, and follow-up of the patient cohort. Location64 Primary Care teams/centres (770 physicians). ParticipantsPatients≥14 years without an oncological diagnosis on: 1) fentanyl citrate, 2) major opioids and≥2 anxiolytics-hypnotics, 3) long-term major and minor opioids, 4) transdermal lidocaine, out of indication. InterventionDissemination of recommendations for the treatment of non-oncological chronic pain and the reporting of the incidents of their patients to each doctor. Main measurementsNumber of incidents in 2 cross sections (June 2017 and June 2018). Number of incidents in June 2017, which were maintained in June 2018 (prospective cohort). ResultsOf the 2,465 incidents detected in 2017, there was a 21.1% reduction after the intervention. The reduction was higher (61.8%, p<.001) in the prospective cohort. In absolute values, the most important reduction was in incidences of lidocaine patches outside of indication (1,032 incidences). The approved indication was found in less than 8% of the treated patients. ConclusionsThe intervention reduced the number of patients with incidences, and this reduction was higher in the prospective cohort, confirming the efficacy of sending information about patients with incidences to their physicians. The incorporation of new treatments during the follow-up year was significant, so these interventions should be perpetuated over time.

Comparative Pharmacokinetic Study of Lidocaine Patch 1.8% (ZTlido™) and Lidocaine Patch 5% (Lidoderm®) in Healthy Subjects

Comparative Pharmacokinetic Study of Lidocaine Patch 1.8% (ZTlido™) and Lidocaine Patch 5% (Lidoderm®) in Healthy Subjects

Pharmacokinetic Study of Lidocaine Patch 1.8% Lidocaine Patch 5% (Lidoderm®) in Healthy Subjects

Pharmacokinetic Study of Lidocaine Patch 1.8% Lidocaine Patch 5% (Lidoderm®) in Healthy Subjects

Management of Peripheral Neuropathy Induced by Chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is considered a severe side effect of therapeutic agents with limited treatment options. The incidence of CIPN in cancer patients is approximately 3-7% in cytostatic monotherapy and as high as 38% in cases of polychemotherapy. The prevalence of CIPN was found to be 68% within the first month of chemotherapy treatment. In some cases, CIPN can resolve, partially or completely, after completion of the treatment; in other cases, it can remain for a long time and affect the patient's quality of life. The aim of this study is to present up-to-date data regarding available treatment options for the management of CIPN. The up-to-date guidelines of ESMO (European Society for Medical Oncology), ASCO (American Society of Clinical Oncology), ONS (Oncology Nursing Society), NCI (National Cancer Institute), and NCCN (National Comprehensive Cancer Network) were reviewed and included in the manuscript. The use of tricyclic antidepressant (TCA), selective serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SSNRI), pregabalin, and gabapentin are recommended as first-line treatment. Other treatment options were offered as second and third lines of treatment (lidocaine patches, capsaicin high-concentration patches, tramadol, and strong opioids, respectively); however, lower significance was demonstrated. Inconclusive results were found in the use of cannabinoids, drug combinations, antiepileptics, antidepressants, and topical drugs. TCA, other antidepressants, and opioids could be recommended as treatment. Yet, we could not recommend an ideal therapeutic agent for the prevention or treatment of CIPN. Therefore, CIPN continues to be a challenge to clinicians and our patients.

Treatment of lumbar vertebra epithelioid hemangioma with radiation therapy: a case report

BackgroundAlthough epithelioid hemangiomas involving bone have been described in previous case reports and case series, the effects of radiation therapy on vertebral epithelioid hemangioma has not been fully reported. Here we provide a case report of tumor response to radiation therapy in a young adult with a large epithelioid hemangioma involving the fourth lumbar vertebrae.Case presentationA 27-year-old Latino man with a past medical history of type 1 diabetes and a 3-year history of low back pain presented to a hospital emergency department following acute worsening of back pain. On transfer to our tertiary medical center, he described the pain as “shock-like” which originated at the lateral aspect of his right hip and radiated down to his right knee. Paresthesia was also reported along the medial aspect of his lower right leg. Imaging included a computed tomography scan and magnetic resonance imaging which revealed fourth lumbar and right iliac lytic bone lesions. Image-guided biopsies of the lytic lesions were consistent with a diagnosis of epithelioid hemangioma and radiation therapy was recommended as the primary treatment. Our patient’s low back and leg pain were initially managed with acetaminophen, oxycodone, pregabalin, and lidocaine patch 5%. He noted improvement in pain after his third fraction of radiation. Pain intensity continued to decline and oxycodone was discontinued.ConclusionsThis case report demonstrates an unusual etiology of back and leg pain in a young man and elucidates the palliative effects of radiation therapy for epithelioid hemangioma involving the lumbar spine.

Treatment Patterns and Medication Use in Patients with Postherpetic Neuralgia.

Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a chronic, painful condition characterized by persistent pain following resolution of a herpes zoster (HZ) infection. Epidemiologic data demonstrate that the risks for HZ infections and the development of PHN increase with age. To characterize prescribing patterns, health care utilization, and treatment costs for adults with PHN based on real-world data. This study analyzed medical and pharmacy claims from 2010 to 2014 in the MarketScan Commercial and Medicare Supplemental databases. PHN patients were identified based on criteria from a published algorithm. PHN treatment patterns were analyzed by age and reported descriptively for patients aged < 65 or ≥ 65 years. Excess incremental health care costs were calculated for PHN patients by comparing expenditures for a cohort of PHN patients to expenditures of a propensity score-matched control group of patients with HZ alone. Approximately 0.4% of patients aged < 65 years were diagnosed with HZ versus 1.3% of patients aged ≥ 65 years; approximately 15.3% of HZ patients aged < 65 years and 26.4% of patients aged ≥ 65 years were diagnosed with PHN. Overall, opioids remained the most frequently prescribed initial treatment. Approximately 21.6% of PHN patients received an opioid as an initial treatment for PHN, 15.1% received gabapentin; 8.9% received a prescription nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID); 8.3% received a lidocaine patch; 3.3% received pregabalin; 2.5% received a tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs); 0.8% received other topical lidocaine; and < 1% received capsaicin. Observed first-line use of the lidocaine patch and gabapentin was higher in patients aged ≥ 65 years relative to patients aged < 65 years. When separated by age group, only 24.6% of patients aged < 65 years and 38.5% of patients aged ≥ 65 years were prescribed a recommended first-line treatment for initial PHN therapy (gabapentin, lidocaine patch, pregabalin, and TCAs). Comparisons of treatment costs of PHN patients to matched HZ patients without PHN indicated that PHN patients initiated on opioids had the highest mean additional health care expenditure compared with PHN patients initiated on other medications. On average, PHN patients initiated on opioids had $7,601 additional health care expenditure compared with HZ patients with no PHN; additional expenditures were $6,428 for pregabalin, $4,213 for lidocaine patches, $3,478 for gabapentin, $3,304 for NSAIDs, and $2,797 for TCAs, respectively. Management of PHN is associated with substantial utilization of opioid-based therapies across all ages. Medications supported by evidence either as first-line therapies or as part of a multimodal regimen for the management of PHN are underused relative to opioid-based PHN therapies. Improving adherence to evidence-based PHN treatment regimens offers the potential to reduce opioid prescribing first line and reduce overall treatment costs. Given the emphasis to reduce opioid prescribing to minimize the risk of dependence, abuse, and diversion, multimodal analgesic treatments that can avoid or reduce opioid use should be considered. Research funding was provided by SCILEX Pharmaceuticals. The sponsor reviewed and approved the research plan and provided support for manuscript preparation through Patel's role as a coauthor of this manuscript. The sponsor's product (lidocaine patch) was not used in this study. Patel is a paid employee of SCILEX Pharmaceuticals. Goss is an employee and minority owner of Boston Healthcare Associates, which received a research grant from SCILEX Pharmaceuticals to conduct this study. Gudin reports advisory board fees from AcelRx Pharmaceuticals and BioDelivery Sciences International and consulting fees from Averitas, Daiichi, Hisumitsu, Nektar, Purdue, Quest Diagnostics, SCILEX Pharmaceuticals, and US WorldMeds, unrelated to this study. Fudin reports advisory board fees from AcelRx Pharmaceuticals, Human Half-Cell, Quest Diagnostics, GlaxoSmithKline, SCILEX Pharmaceuticals, BioDelivery Sciences, Daiichi Sankyo, and Salix Pharmaceuticals; speaker fees from Daiichi Sankyo, Salix Pharmaceuticals, Abbott Laboratories, Acutis Diagnostics, and AstraZeneca; and consulting fees from Firstox Laboratories, unrelated to this study. The other authors have nothing to disclose. Parts of this research were presented at the AMCP Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy Annual Meeting; April 22, 2016; San Francisco, CA, and at the 35th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Pain Society; May 11-14, 2016; Austin, TX.

Topical Lidocaine Patch for Postthoracotomy and Poststernotomy Pain in Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit Adult Patients.

Transdermal lidocaine patches have few systemic toxicities and may be useful analgesics in cardiac surgery patients. However, few studies have evaluated their efficacy in the perioperative setting. Objective To compare the efficacy of topical lidocaine 5% patch plus standard care (opioid and nonopioid analgesics) with standard care alone for postthoracotomy or poststernotomy pain in adult patients in a cardiothoracic intensive care unit. A single-center, retrospective cohort evaluation was conducted from January 2015 through December 2015 in the adult cardiothoracic intensive care unit at a tertiary academic medical center. Cardiac surgery patients with new sternotomies or thoracotomies were included. Patients in the lidocaine group received 1 to 3 topical lidocaine 5% patches near sternotomy and/or thoracotomy sites daily. Patches remained in place for 12 hours daily. Patients in the control group received standard care alone. The primary outcome was numeric pain rating for sternotomy/thoracotomy sites. Secondary outcomes were cardiothoracic intensive care unit and hospital lengths of stay and total doses of analgesics received. Forty-seven patients were included in the lidocaine group; 44 were included in the control group. Mean visual analogue scores for pain did not differ between groups (lidocaine, 2; control, 1.9; P = .58). Lengths of stay were similar for both groups (cardiothoracic intensive care unit: lidocaine, 3.06 days; control, 3.11 days; P = .86; hospital: lidocaine, 8.26 days; control, 7.61 days; P = .47). Adjunctive lidocaine 5% patches did not reduce acute pain in postthoracotomy and post-sternotomy patients in the cardiothoracic intensive care unit.

The Analgesic Efficacy of Continuous Sub-fascial Bupivacaine Infusion and Lidocaine Patches in Post-cesarean Patients With Opiate Use Disorder: A Comparative Efficacy Analysis

The Analgesic Efficacy of Continuous Sub-fascial Bupivacaine Infusion and Lidocaine Patches in Post-cesarean Patients With Opiate Use Disorder: A Comparative Efficacy Analysis

Cannabinoids: Current and Future Options to Treat Chronic and Chemotherapy-Induced Neuropathic Pain.

Increases in cancer diagnosis have tremendous negative impacts on patients and their families, and major societal and economic costs. The beneficial effect of chemotherapeutic agents on tumor suppression comes with major unwanted side effects such as weight and hair loss, nausea and vomiting, and neuropathic pain. Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), which can include both painful and non-painful symptoms, can persist 6months or longer after the patient's last chemotherapeutic treatment. These peripheral sensory and motor deficits are poorly treated by our current analgesics with limited effectiveness. Therefore, the development of novel treatment strategies is an important preclinical research focus and an urgent need for patients. Approaches to prevent CIPN have yielded disappointing results since these compounds may interfere with the anti-tumor properties of chemotherapeutic agents. Nevertheless, the first (serotonin noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors [SNRIs], anticonvulsants, tricyclic antidepressants) and second (5% lidocaine patches, 8% capsaicin patches and weak opioids such as tramadol) lines of treatment for CIPN have shown some efficacy. The clinical challenge of CIPN management in cancer patients and the need to target novel therapies with long-term efficacy in alleviating CIPN are an ongoing focus of research. The endogenous cannabinoid system has shown great promise and efficacy in alleviating CIPN in preclinical and clinical studies. In this review, we will discuss the mechanisms through which the platinum, taxane, and vinca alkaloid classes of chemotherapeutics may produce CIPN and the potential therapeutic effect of drugs targeting the endocannabinoid system in preclinical and clinical studies, in addition to cannabinoid compounds diffuse mechanisms of action in alleviation of CIPN.

Hemolysis index interfered by high bilirubin: A patient safety problem

Staple removal from surgical wounds is painful. Only a few articles have provided expert opinions using anesthetic cream for such a problem; however, direct application of the anesthetic cream to a wound may cause infection. A safe alternative can be an anesthetic patch without wound contact.This was a prospective, double-blind, randomized clinical trial. Sixty patients who underwent primary total knee replacement were assigned to an experimental group or control group. One lidocaine patch was applied around the surgical wound for each patient in the experimental group. Alternatively, the adhesive sides of the lidocaine patches were shielded with waterproof films in the control group. A resident peeled off the patch before a single nursing practitioner removed the staples. Pain was assessed with the 10-cm visual analog scale, and a face pain scale-revised was performed. The patients and the nursing practitioner were blind to the management.Mean visual analog scale and face pain scale-revised scores were significantly lower in the experimental group. The mean pain score was significantly lower in the experimental group if the application time was >47 min; for patients with application time of 47 min or shorter, the score was comparable with the mean pain scores of the control group (P = 0.215).Removal of the metal skin staples after total knee arthroplasty is associated with moderate-to-severe pain. The lidocaine patch applied topically around the surgical wound could effectively reduce the pain during the procedure, without remarkable complications such as systemic adverse effects or wound contamination.

Interventional Treatments for Postherpetic Neuralgia: A Systematic Review

Background: Postherpetic neuralgia, a persistent pain condition often characterized by allodynia and hyperalgesia, is a deleterious consequence experienced by patients after an acute herpes zoster vesicular eruption has healed. The pain associated with postherpetic neuralgia can severely affect a patient’s quality of life, quality of sleep, and ability to participate in activities of daily living. Currently, first-line treatments for this condition include the administration of medication therapies such as tricyclic antidepressants, pregabalin, gabapentin, and lidocaine patches, followed by the application of tramadol and capsaicin creams and patches as second- or third-line therapies. As not all patients respond to such conservative options, however, interventional therapies are valuable for those who continue to experience pain. Objective: This review focuses on interventional therapies that have been subjected to randomized controlled trials for the treatment of postherpetic neuralgia, including transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation; local botulinum toxin A, cobalamin, and triamcinolone injection; intrathecal methylprednisolone and midazolam injection; stellate ganglion block; dorsal root ganglion destruction; and pulsed radiofrequency therapy. Study Design: Systematic review Setting: Hospital department in Taiwan Methods: Search of PubMed database for all randomized controlled trials regarding postherpetic neuralgia that were published before the end of May 2017. Results: The current evidence is insufficient for determining the single best interventional treatment. Considering invasiveness, price, and safety, the subcutaneous injection of botulinum toxin A or triamcinolone, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, peripheral nerve stimulation, and stellate ganglion block are recommended first, followed by paravertebral block and pulsed radiofrequency. If severe pain persists, spinal cord stimulation could be considered. Given the destructiveness of dorsal root ganglion and adverse events of intrathecal methylprednisolone injection, these interventions should be carried out with great care and only following comprehensive discussion. Limitations: Although few adverse effects were reported, these procedures are invasive, and a careful assessment of the risk-benefit ratio should be conducted prior to administration. Conclusion: With the exception of intrathecal methylprednisolone injection for postherpetic neuralgia, the evidence for most interventional procedures used to treat postherpetic neuralgia is Level 2, according to “The Oxford Levels of Evidence 2”. Therefore, these modalities have received only grade B recommendations. Despite the lack of a high level of evidence, spinal cord stimulation and peripheral nerve stimulation are possibly useful for the treatment of postherpetic neuralgia. Key words: Interventional treatment, postherpetic neuralgia, botulinum toxin, steroid, stellate ganglion block, peripheral nerve stimulation, paravertebral block, radiofrequency, spinal cord stimulation

Les traitements pharmacologiques des douleurs neuropathiques

Neuropathic pain is defined as pain caused by a lesion or a disease affecting the somatosensory nervous system. Development of neuropathic pain is induced by many pathophysiological mechanisms affecting pain pathways. Neuropathic pain has diverse origins, making its management difficult, hence, many patients with neuropathic pain do not receive appropriate treatment. In 2015, a revision of the Neuropathic Pain Special Interest Group's (NeuPSIG) previous recommendations, based on a systematic review and meta-analysis, evaluated the efficacy of systemic and topical treatments of neuropathic pain. Treatments lines were established using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE), which allows to rate the quality of evidence and the strength of recommendations. First line treatments are gabapentin and pregabalin, noradrenalin and serotonin reuptake inhibitors and tricyclic antidepressants. Capsaicin and lidocaine patches are second line treatments, tramadol and strong opioids are third line treatments. This work also highlighted molecules with inconclusive recommendations or non-recommended pharmacological treatments based on a low quality of evidence, a lack of efficacy or a bad safety profile. The objective of this paper is to present the different treatments and to detail their mechanisms of action.