Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine >> Research >> Focus Areas >> Pain Medicine & Neuroscience >> Memantine for Post-Op Pain Control in the Opiate-Tolerant Pt
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Research Focus Areas:
Pain Medicine & Neuroscience

Memantine for Post-Operative Pain Control in the Opiate-Tolerant Patient

Principal Investigators

G. W. Terman, M.D., Ph.D.

Description

Never in the history of mankind has so much opiate tolerance existed in the general population. Well meaning attempts to minimize chronic pain in the estimated 1 in 5 adults who suffer from such maladies has resulted in many individuals being treated with opiate analgesics for long periods of time. Sadly, opiates become less effective over time - demonstrating analgesic tolerance. Such opiate tolerance requires an ever increasing escalation of dose or a resignation to the fact that more and more pain must be "lived with" and is a fact of life for literally millions in the United States alone. An acute example of the problems caused by opiate tolerance occurs post-operatively when individuals on chronic opiates become very challenging pain management problems. At the University of Washington, we have previously reported (Rapp et al, Pain, 2005) that patients on at least 6 weeks of opiate treatment received 3 times more opiates for their post-operative pain and still had higher pain scores and significantly more sedative side effects than opiate naive patients receiving matched surgeries. Regardless of whether the surgery is in the same area as the chronic pain or not, opiate tolerance does not discriminate and slows functional recovery after surgery due to increased pain AND side effects - sometimes negating surgical benefits. Patients on chronic opiate therapy need another approach to help improve their post-operative pain control.

Pain Medicine & Neuroscience:
Research Projects

An Internet CBT Intervention for Pediatric Chronic Pain and Disability
T. Palermo, Ph.D.
Cervical Sympathetic Block in Patients with Cerebral Vasospasm following Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemmorhage
M. DePinto, M.D., M.M. Treggiari, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H.
Controlling Pain After Trauma
D. Patterson, Ph.D., S. R. Sharar, M.D., M. Jensen, Ph.D., H. Hoffman, Ph.D., et al.
Cytokine and Neurotransmitter Interactions in Sleep Regulation
M. R. Opp, Ph.D., L. Imeri, M.D.
Disability from Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury
P Rivara, M.D., M. S. Vavilala, M.D.
Drug Interactions at the Human Blood-Brain Barrier
J. D. Unadkat, Ph.D., K. B. Domino, M.D., M.P.H., A. Collier, M.D., et al.
Effectiveness of Oxymorphone for Acute Postoperative Pain Pediatric Subjects
S.Bhananker, M.D.
Identifying Virtual Reality Analgesia Mechanisms by Pharmacologic Manipulation
S. R. Sharar, M. D., D.A. Patterson, Ph.D, H.Hunter, Ph.D., et al.
Influence of Dexmedetomidine on the Evoked Potentials During Spine Surgery
Rozet, M.D.
Innovations In Pediatric Pain Research
T. Palermo, Ph.D.
Ketorolac in Surgical Infants: Pharmacokinetics/Analgesia
A.M. Lynn, M.D.
Mechanism Of Action Of Volatile Anesthetics
P.G. Morgan, M.D.
Memantine for Post-Operative Pain Control in the Opiate-Tolerant Patient
G. Terman, M.D., Ph.D.
Modulation of Pruritus by Spinal Cannabinoids
G. W. Terman, M.D.,Ph.D.
Molecular Mechanisms of Sleep Responses to Viral Infection
James Krueger, PhD (WSU: PI); Mark R. Opp, PhD (co-investigator/subcontract PI)
Neonatal Pain, Depression and Pain Susceptibility at Maturity in Rats
Gayle Page, DNSc, RN (Johns Hopkins: PI); Mark R. Opp, PhD (co-investigator/subcontract PI)
Neurologic Injury after Non-Supine Surgery Registry
L. A. Lee, M.D., L. Stephens, Ph.D., K. B. Domino, M.D., M.P.H., K. L. Posner, Ph.D.
Neuron-glial communication and brain aging
Paula Bickford, PhD (University of South Florida: PI); Carmelina Gemma, PhD (co-investigator/subcontract PI)
Neuronal-Glial Dialogue and Cognition
Carmelina Gemma, PhD (PI)
Neurotoxic Effects of Volatile Anesthetics in C. Elegans
P.G. Morgan, M.D.
Open Label Study of the Safety and Efficacy of Conivaptan (Vaprisol) to raise serum sodium levels in patients with severe traumatic brain injury
M. M. Treggiari, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., S. A. Deem, M.D., N.D. Yanez III, Ph.D.
Optimizing the Control of Pain from Severe Burns
D. Patterson, Ph.D.; S R. Sharar, MD; D. Heimbach, MD., J Doctor, Ph.D.
Patient Perceptions of the Benefits of Long-Term Opioid Therapy (PLOT) Initiative-Beliefs and Behaviors
D. C. Turk, Ph.D., J. P. Robinson., M.D., R. Landau, M.D.
Sepsis Outcomes and Aging: Role of Sleep Disruption and the Blood Brain Barrier
Mark R. Opp, PhD (PI); William A. Banks, MD (co-investigator); Richard M. Raymond, PhD (co-investigator)
Shared Decision Making in Orthopaedic Spine Surgery to Improve Patient Safety
K. B. Domino,M.D, M.P.H.; K. L. Posner, Ph.D. et al.
Sleep-Wake Disturbances in Adolescents with Chronic Pain Research
T. Palermo, Ph.D.
Subgroups of FMS: Symptoms, Beliefs & Tailored Treatments
D.C. Turk, Ph.D., J. Robinson, M.D., Ph.D.
Subjective and Neuroimaging Assessment of Combined Opioid and Virtual Reality Analgesia
S. R. Sharar, M.D., T. Richards, Ph.D.
Ultrasound Guided Rectus Sheath Block for Post-Operative Pain Control Following Umbilical Hernia Repair
S. Flack, M.D.
University of Washington Urologic Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndromes Discovery Center
D. S. Buchwald, M.D., N. Jimenez, M. D., et al.
Web-based CBT for Opioid-treated Chronic Pain Patients With Aberrant Behavior
Rosenblum, Ph.D., D.C. Turk, Ph.D.