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INTRODUCTION: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS®) protocols require multidisciplinary team engagement from healthcare professionals (HCPs), where limited studies exist on neonatal ERAS®protocols. Therefore, we aimed to capture perceptions of HCPs on facilitation and implementation of the neonatal ERAS®guideline. METHODS: 10 neonates were recruited. 13 HCPs involved in these patient's care were interviewed and 8 surveyed consisting of pediatric anesthesiologists, neonatologists, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) registered nurses (RNs), and pediatric surgeons. Using a multi-methods design, recruitment, semi-structured interviews and surveys were conducted from May 17, 2021 to November 1, 2022. Data was coded using The Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Studies and then thematically analyzed. RESULTS: Interviews were conducted with 4 pediatric anesthesiologists, 4 neonatologists, 2 NICU RNs, and 3 pediatric surgeons and surveys with 1 pediatric anesthesiologist, 2 neonatologists, 3 NICU RNs, and 2 pediatric surgeons. From interviews, the top 3 facilitation strategies were utilization of: (1) multidisciplinary guideline champions, (2) reminders and education, and (3) results to facilitate adherence. Incorporation of these strategies resulted in perceived: (1) stronger buy-in and engagement and (2) improved team communication, job satisfaction, care quality, and parental involvement. CONCLUSION: HCPs stressed the importance of guideline champions, reminders and education, and results distribution. Given implementation during the COVID-19 pandemic, awareness and education were mixed. Nonetheless, HCPs perceived improved buy-in and engagement, communication, job satisfaction, quality of care, and parental involvement. Incorporation of these strategies can promote successful ERAS® guideline facilitation and implementation and should be considered for future ERAS® projects. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.
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Importance: Neonates requiring surgery are often cared for in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Despite a breadth of surgical pathology, neonates share many perioperative priorities that allow for the development of unit-wide evidence-based Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) recommendations. Observations: The guideline development committee included pediatric surgeons, anesthesiologists, neonatal nurses, and neonatologists in addition to ERAS content and methodology experts. The patient population was defined as neonates (first 28 days of life) undergoing a major noncardiac surgical intervention while admitted to a NICU. After the first round of a modified Delphi technique, 42 topics for potential inclusion were developed. There was consensus to develop a search strategy and working group for 21 topic areas. A total of 5763 abstracts were screened, of which 98 full-text articles, ranging from low to high quality, were included. A total of 16 recommendations in 11 topic areas were developed with a separate working group commissioned for analgesia-related recommendations. Topics included team communication, preoperative fasting, temperature regulation, antibiotic prophylaxis, surgical site skin preparation, perioperative ventilation, fluid management, perioperative glucose control, transfusion thresholds, enteral feeds, and parental care encouragement. Although clinically relevant, there were insufficient data to develop recommendations concerning the use of nasogastric tubes, Foley catheters, and central lines. Conclusions and Relevance: Despite varied pathology, neonatal perioperative care within NICUs allows for unit-based ERAS recommendations independent of the planned surgical procedure. The 16 recommendations within this ERAS guideline are intended to be implemented within NICUs to benefit all surgical neonates.
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INTRODUCTION: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) guidelines are bundled evidence-informed recommendations implemented to improve quality and safety of perioperative care. This study aims to determine feasibility of NICU implementation of an ERAS Guideline for Intestinal Resection, describing clinical outcomes and adherence to recommendations following light-touch implementation. METHODS: Infants <28 days undergoing laparotomy for intestinal resection in a closed-NICU were prospectively enrolled. Exclusion criteria included prematurity (<32wks), instability, or major comorbidity. Clinical data reflecting 13 ERAS recommendations were collected through chart review. Descriptive statistics are presented as median [interquartile range]. Thirty-day post-discharge outcomes include NICU and hospital length of stay (LOS), ventilator days, surgical site infection (SSI), re-intubation, readmission, reoperation, and mortality. Adherence was calculated as the percentage of patients eligible for each recommendation whose care was adherent. RESULTS: Ten infant-parent dyads were enrolled (five females; GA 37 weeks [35, 38.8]; birthweight 2.97 kg [2.02, 3.69]). Surgical diagnoses included intestinal atresia/web (n = 6), anorectal malformation (n = 3), and segmental volvulus (n = 1). NICU LOS was 16 days [11, 21], hospital LOS 20 days [18, 30], and 2.5 ventilator days/patient [2, 3]. There was reduced opioid use, no SSIs, one re-intubation, three readmissions, three reoperations, and no mortalities. Adherence to ERAS recommendations ranged 0-100 % with a pooled adherence rate of 73 %. CONCLUSION: It is feasible to introduce ERAS to the NICU with acceptable overall adherence. Assessing adherence was challenging for some measures. There were promising early clinical findings including a reduction in opioid use. This implementation trial will inform development of an ERAS protocol for surgical NICUs. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV (Cohort Study).
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Recuperação Pós-Cirúrgica Melhorada , Lactente , Feminino , Recém-Nascido , Humanos , Estudos de Coortes , Analgésicos Opioides , Assistência ao Convalescente , Unidades de Terapia Intensiva Neonatal , Alta do Paciente , Tempo de Internação , Complicações Pós-Operatórias , Estudos RetrospectivosRESUMO
Importance: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) guidelines and the World Health Organization Surgical Safety Checklist (SSC) are 2 well-established tools for optimizing patient outcomes perioperatively. Objective: To integrate the 2 tools to facilitate key perioperative decision-making. Evidence Review: Snowball sampling recruited international ERAS users from multiple clinical specialties. A 3-round modified Delphi consensus model was used to evaluate 27 colorectal or gynecologic oncology ERAS recommendations for appropriateness to include in an ERAS SSC. Items attaining potential consensus (65%-69% agreement) or consensus (≥70% agreement) were used to develop ERAS-specific SSC prompts. These proposed prompts were evaluated in a second round by the panelists with regard to inclusion, modification, or exclusion. A final round of interactive discussion using quantitative consensus and qualitative comments was used to produce an ERAS-specific SSC. The panel of ERAS experts included surgeons, anesthesiologists, and nurses within diverse practice settings from 19 countries. Final analysis was conducted in May 2022. Findings: Round 1 was completed by 105 experts from 18 countries. Eleven ERAS components met criteria for development into an SSC prompt. Round 2 was completed by 88 experts. There was universal consensus (≥70% agreement) to include all 37 proposed prompts within the 3-part ERAS-specific SSC (used prior to induction of anesthesia, skin incision, and leaving the operating theater). A third round of qualitative comment review and expert discussion was used to produce a final ERAS-specific SSC that expands on the current WHO SSC to include discussion of analgesia strategies, nausea prevention, appropriate fasting, fluid management, anesthetic protocols, appropriate skin preparation, deep vein thrombosis prophylaxis, hypothermia prevention, use of foley catheters, and surgical access. The final products of this work included an ERAS-specific SSC ready for implementation and a set of recommendations to integrate ERAS elements into existing SSCs. Conclusions and Relevance: The SSC could be modified to align with ERAS recommendations for patients undergoing major surgery within an ERAS protocol. The stakeholder- and expert-generated ERAS SSC could be adopted directly, or the recommendations for modification could be applied to an existing institutional SSC to facilitate implementation.
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Recuperação Pós-Cirúrgica Melhorada , Feminino , Humanos , Lista de Checagem , Consenso , Salas Cirúrgicas , Assistência Perioperatória/métodosRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Intussusception is the most common cause of bowel obstruction in children aged 3 months to 6 years of age. We sought to describe patterns of incident childhood intussusception. METHODS: A retrospective longitudinal cohort study utilizing population-based health administrative data and a validated case definition was used to identify patients <18 years of age treated for intussusception between January 1, 1997 and December 31, 2016 in Ontario, Canada. Descriptive statistics, graphical analyses, and a Poisson regression model were performed for trend analysis. RESULTS: The overall incidence of intussusception in Ontario children (<18 years) was 3.3 cases/100,000 child years (cyrs), 95% CI [3.2.3.5]. The overall incidence increased from .9 cases/100,000 cyrs to 2.3 cases/100,000 cyrs. The highest incidence was in children aged 6-12 months at 28.9 cases/100,000 cyrs, 95% CI [26.2.31.9]. Incidence increased in all age-groups between 6 months and 5 years (at a rate of 5% to 16% per year; all P < .05). Month of year did not predict intussusception counts in a log-linear Poisson models, nor did rotavirus immunization implementation in 2011. There was a 3-fold variability across geographic areas in the province. There was a high rate of readmission for recurrence within 1 year (10.7%). CONCLUSION: The incidence of intussusception more than doubled in Ontario from 1997 to 2016. The incidence increased for children aged between 6 months and 5 years at a rate of 5-16% per year, suggesting that an increased rate of idiopathic intussusception is responsible for the increase in the province.
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Intussuscepção , Criança , Humanos , Lactente , Adolescente , Estudos Retrospectivos , Estudos Longitudinais , Intussuscepção/epidemiologia , Intussuscepção/terapia , Incidência , Ontário/epidemiologiaRESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Disparities in surgical management have been documented across a range of disease processes. The objective of this study was to investigate sociodemographic disparities in young females undergoing excision of a breast mass. METHODS: A retrospective study of females aged 10-21 y who underwent surgery for a breast lesion across eleven pediatric hospitals from 2011 to 2016 was performed. Differences in patient characteristics, workup, management, and pathology by race/ethnicity, insurance status, median neighborhood income, and urbanicity were evaluated with bivariate and multivariable regression analyses. RESULTS: A total of 454 females were included, with a median age of 16 y interquartile range (IQR: 3). 44% of patients were nonHispanic (NH) Black, 40% were NH White, and 7% were Hispanic. 50% of patients had private insurance, 39% had public insurance, and 9% had other/unknown insurance status. Median neighborhood income was $49,974, and 88% of patients resided in a metropolitan area. NH Whites have 4.5 times the odds of undergoing preoperative fine needle aspiration or core needle biopsy compared to NH Blacks (CI: 2.0, 10.0). No differences in time to surgery from the initial imaging study, size of the lesion, or pathology were observed on multivariable analysis. CONCLUSIONS: We found no significant differences by race/ethnicity, insurance status, household income, or urbanicity in the time to surgery after the initial imaging study. The only significant disparity noted on multivariable analysis was NH White patients were more likely to undergo preoperative biopsy than were NH Black patients; however, the utility of biopsy in pediatric breast masses is not well established.
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Hispânico ou Latino , Cobertura do Seguro , População Negra , Criança , Etnicidade , Feminino , Disparidades em Assistência à Saúde , Humanos , Estudos Retrospectivos , Estados UnidosRESUMO
BACKGROUND: The objective of our study was to describe the workup, management, and outcomes of pediatric patients with breast masses undergoing operative intervention. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted of girls 10-21 y of age who underwent surgery for a breast mass across 11 children's hospitals from 2011 to 2016. Demographic and clinical characteristics were summarized. RESULTS: Four hundred and fifty-three female patients with a median age of 16 y (IQR: 3) underwent surgery for a breast mass during the study period. The most common preoperative imaging was breast ultrasound (95%); 28% reported the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) classification. Preoperative core biopsy was performed in 12%. All patients underwent lumpectomy, most commonly due to mass size (45%) or growth (29%). The median maximum dimension of a mass on preoperative ultrasound was 2.8 cm (IQR: 1.9). Most operations were performed by pediatric surgeons (65%) and breast surgeons (25%). The most frequent pathology was fibroadenoma (75%); 3% were phyllodes. BI-RADS scoring ≥4 on breast ultrasound had a sensitivity of 0% and a negative predictive value of 93% for identifying phyllodes tumors. CONCLUSIONS: Most pediatric breast masses are self-identified and benign. BI-RADS classification based on ultrasound was not consistently assigned and had little clinical utility for identifying phyllodes.
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Neoplasias da Mama/terapia , Fibroadenoma/terapia , Mastectomia Segmentar/estatística & dados numéricos , Tumor Filoide/terapia , Conduta Expectante/estatística & dados numéricos , Adolescente , Biópsia com Agulha de Grande Calibre , Mama/diagnóstico por imagem , Mama/patologia , Mama/cirurgia , Neoplasias da Mama/diagnóstico , Neoplasias da Mama/patologia , Criança , Tomada de Decisão Clínica/métodos , Diagnóstico Diferencial , Autoavaliação Diagnóstica , Estudos de Viabilidade , Feminino , Fibroadenoma/diagnóstico , Fibroadenoma/patologia , Humanos , Mastectomia Segmentar/normas , Tumor Filoide/diagnóstico , Tumor Filoide/patologia , Guias de Prática Clínica como Assunto , Estudos Retrospectivos , Ultrassonografia Mamária , Conduta Expectante/normas , Adulto JovemRESUMO
Objective: To describe work-related factors, pregnancy, and pregnancy outcomes in female surgeons is the objective of this study. Background: Some data suggest surgeon workload may deter pregnancy and adversely affect pregnancy outcomes in female surgeons. Methods: A cross-sectional, web-based survey was distributed via e-mail to members of the Society of Obstetrics and Gynaecologists of Canada and to surgical departments of 6 Canadian universities from October 2019 to January 2020. Results: A total of 223 surgeons with 451 pregnancies participated. Work hours were reduced in 33.3% of pregnancies, and 28.0% had a policy for pregnancy in their workplace. A total of 57% of surgeons intentionally delayed pregnancy due to heavy workload and 39% to career concerns, and 31% reported work adversely affected their pregnancy. Adverse maternal outcomes included miscarriage (14.9%), preterm labor (6.2%), hypertension (5.5%), pre-eclampsia (2.9%), and placenta praevia (1.3%). Adverse infant outcomes included preterm birth (6.9%), small for gestational age at birth (6.9%), and neonatal intensive care unit admission (4%). Congenital anomalies occurred in 4.2% of pregnancies. Surgeons who reported a policy for working while pregnant were more likely to have reduced their work hours than those without a policy (48.4% vs 28.5% respectively, P < 0.0001). In unadjusted models, those who reduced their work hours while pregnant were less likely to have a miscarriage than those who did not (odds ratio = 0.2, 95% confidence interval, 0.1-0.4). Conclusions: Female surgeons reported delays in pregnancy due to work, adverse effects of work on pregnancy, and some elevated rates of adverse outcomes. These data support policies for pregnancy in surgeons and surgical trainees.
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OBJECTIVES: Describe changes in the diagnostic approach and treatment for pediatric intussusception over two decades. STUDY DESIGN: Administrative universal healthcare data were used to conduct a population-based cohort study of intussusception between January 1997 and December 2016 in Ontario, Canada. A validated case definition was used to identify all patients (<18â¯years) treated for intussusception in the province at community or tertiary care centers. Treatment modality was determined using physician billing data and databases linked at ICES; it was categorized as nonoperative alone, surgical alone, or failed nonoperative. Descriptive statistics, Cochrane-Armitage for trend analyses, and graphical and multinomial logistic regression were performed. RESULTS: Over 20â¯years, 1895 pediatric patients were treated for intussusception. Pretreatment imaging use rose from 57.5% to 99.3%. Nonoperative management increased from 23.4% to 75.2%. However, 43% of children who presented to a community hospital underwent immediate surgical management, compared with just 11% of children at tertiary centers (RR 0.39, 95% CI: 0.25-0.62). Among children who underwent surgery, there was an increase in bowel resection over time (41.7% to 57.6%). CONCLUSIONS: Over the 20â¯year period of study, pretreatment imaging became universal, and management shifted from predominantly surgical to nonoperative reduction in Ontario. The rate of surgical intervention remains higher in community versus tertiary centers. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Treatment study, III.
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Intussuscepção , Adolescente , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Estudos de Coortes , Feminino , Humanos , Lactente , Recém-Nascido , Intussuscepção/diagnóstico , Intussuscepção/epidemiologia , Intussuscepção/terapia , Masculino , Ontário/epidemiologiaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Management of pediatric intussusception has evolved to favor non-surgical reduction with potential outpatient management. The overall impact of these changes on healthcare costs is unknown. METHODS: A retrospective longitudinal cohort study was conducted utilizing population-based universal-access administrative healthcare data to identify patients <18â¯years treated for intussusception January 2003-December 2016 in Ontario, Canada. Hospital-associated cost included emergency department and cost of hospitalization, while total cost also included billable physician costs. All costs are presented in 2016 Canadian Dollars. RESULTS: The median hospital-associated costs for each modality were: non-surgical $2467, failed non-surgical $6508, and surgical only $8863 (pâ¯<â¯0.0001). Costs associated with non-surgical or surgical only management did not change over the study period, whereas costs associated with failed non-surgical management increased from $3842 in 2003 to $12,350 in 2016 (pâ¯=â¯0.0003). Similar trends were observed when physician billing data was included. Costs were $1076.95 higher in community hospitals than academic hospitals (95% CI: $344, $1810; pâ¯=â¯0.004). CONCLUSION: The cost of care for intussusception is dependent upon treatment modality and was lowest for non-surgical management and highest for patients treated in community hospitals. Efforts to standardize care to promote successful non-surgical management and to facilitate early discharge could provide cost savings to the healthcare system. TYPE OF STUDY: Cost Effectiveness Study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.
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Custos de Cuidados de Saúde/estatística & dados numéricos , Custos Hospitalares/estatística & dados numéricos , Intussuscepção/economia , Adolescente , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Redução de Custos , Análise Custo-Benefício , Feminino , Hospitalização/economia , Humanos , Lactente , Recém-Nascido , Intussuscepção/terapia , Estudos Longitudinais , Masculino , Ontário/epidemiologia , Estudos RetrospectivosRESUMO
BACKGROUND: The practice of "cutting-away" from venoarterial extracorporeal life support (ECLS) and leaving indwelling heparinized cannulas prior to decannulation is controversial. This study aims to determine the safety and efficacy of this strategy in patients with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) who require ECLS. METHODS: A single-center retrospective review of electronic health records was performed on all patients with CDH who underwent elective ECLS decannulation between January 2014 and September 2018. Descriptive statistics are presented as medians with interquartile range. RESULTS: Seventy-three percent (19/26) of patients who underwent venoarterial ECLS for CDH were electively decannulated. After a median ECLS run of 10.7â¯days [6.1-19.5], patients were "cut-away" for a median of 26â¯h [19.8-43] prior to decannulation. One patient required re-initiation at 36â¯h for a pulmonary hypertensive crisis (5%). There were no major bleeding or embolic events while "cut-away", and four (21%) patients had clots removed from the cannulas without clinical sequelae. One patient was recannulated 16â¯days following initial decannulation. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggests that "cutting-away" from ECLS in patients with congenital diaphragmatic hernia is safe and allows a period of observation without significant complications. This strategy may be particularly helpful in patients at risk for recannulation, but better prognostic criteria are needed. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV. TYPE OF STUDY: Treatment Study.
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Cânula , Remoção de Dispositivo , Oxigenação por Membrana Extracorpórea/instrumentação , Hérnias Diafragmáticas Congênitas/cirurgia , Remoção de Dispositivo/efeitos adversos , Remoção de Dispositivo/métodos , Humanos , Complicações Pós-Operatórias , Estudos RetrospectivosRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Intercostal cryoablation(IC) for pain management in children undergoing Nuss Procedure has been previously described. We evaluated postoperative outcomes following Modified Ravitch procedure for pectus disorders comparing IC to thoracic epidural(TE). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Single-center retrospective review of pediatric patients (ageâ¯<â¯21) undergoing Modified Ravitch procedure (January 2015-March 2019) with either IC(9), or TE(20) analgesia. Primary outcome was length of stay (LOS) and secondary outcomes were inpatient opioid use (in oral morphine equivalents per kilogram; OME/kg), pain scores on each postoperative day (POD), discharge prescriptions, and complications. Pairwise comparisons made with Mann-Whitney U test or Fisher Exact test as appropriate. Two-tailed p values <0.05 were considered significant. RESULTS: Patient characteristics were similar. LOS was shorter with IC compared to TE (4â¯days versus 6; pâ¯<â¯0.006). Postoperative opioid use was not significantly different (IC: 1.5 OME/kg versus TE: 1.1; pâ¯=â¯0.10). There was improved pain control on POD 2 in patients who underwent IC (median pain score 3 versus 4; pâ¯<â¯0.0004). There was no difference in discharge prescription (IC: 3.3 OME/kg; TE: 4.8; pâ¯=â¯0.19) or complication rate (IC: 55.6%, TE:50%; pâ¯=â¯1.0). CONCLUSIONS: IC during the Modified Ravitch reduced LOS compared to TE with improved pain control starting on POD 2, with similar narcotic utilization and complication rates. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Treatment Study, Level III (Retrospective comparative study).
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Crioterapia , Tórax em Funil/cirurgia , Manejo da Dor/métodos , Dor Pós-Operatória/terapia , Adolescente , Adulto , Criança , Humanos , Tempo de Internação/estatística & dados numéricos , Procedimentos Ortopédicos/efeitos adversos , Estudos Retrospectivos , Adulto JovemRESUMO
More children with congenital heart disease are surviving and require noncardiac surgery. A high-yield summary of congenital heart anatomy and pathophysiology is presented to contextualize these patients for surgeons. Preoperative planning including risk stratification, anesthetic management and timing of elective surgery are discussed. Specific intraoperative considerations for particular cases, such as the use of laparoscopy and thoracic surgery, are reviewed. Postoperative outcomes and recommended management required to mitigate complications are summarized.
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Cardiopatias Congênitas/complicações , Assistência Perioperatória/métodos , Procedimentos Cirúrgicos Operatórios/métodos , Criança , Procedimentos Cirúrgicos Eletivos/métodos , Cardiopatias Congênitas/patologia , Cardiopatias Congênitas/fisiopatologia , Humanos , Avaliação de Resultados em Cuidados de Saúde , Pediatria , Complicações Pós-Operatórias/prevenção & controle , Complicações Pós-Operatórias/terapia , Medição de RiscoRESUMO
PURPOSE: Favorable surgical outcomes depend on timely access to care. This study quantifies these delays and explores caregiver barriers to access in a Ugandan facility. METHODS: An interviewer-facilitated survey was administered over 8months to consecutive pediatric surgical families at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital (MRRH). Delays were classified using the Three Delays Model: care-seeking, arrival at health facility, and from surgical consultation to surgery. Barriers at each stage were explored with caregivers. RESULTS: The survey included 174 patients. Family members were first to recognize disease in 90%, but only 14% sought medical attention immediately. Delays in seeking care predominated (median 30days), mostly attributed to home treatments (51%) and other responsibilities (28%). After referral decision, 80% of caregivers brought their child to MRRH immediately (median time to arrival <24h). Upon MRRH arrival, 57% of patients were assessed the same day, and time to surgery was relatively short (median 4days). Despite free under-5 care, out-of-pocket payments (between $1-42 USD) were reported by 64%. CONCLUSIONS: Care-seeking delays dominate access to pediatric surgical care in Uganda, and cost remains a significant barrier. Primary provider education and advocacy for increased resources would be useful interventions to improve timeliness of pediatric surgical care. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II.
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Barreiras de Comunicação , Diagnóstico Tardio , Acessibilidade aos Serviços de Saúde/estatística & dados numéricos , Aceitação pelo Paciente de Cuidados de Saúde/estatística & dados numéricos , Encaminhamento e Consulta/estatística & dados numéricos , Inquéritos e Questionários , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Fatores Socioeconômicos , UgandaRESUMO
UNLABELLED: NFkappaB is involved in several pathogenic mechanisms that are believed to underlie the complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), including ischemia, inflammation and sensitization. Chronic postischemia pain (CPIP) has been developed as an animal model that mimics the symptoms of CRPS-I. The possible involvement of NFkappaB in CRPS-I was studied using CPIP rats. Under sodium pentobarbital anesthesia, a tourniquet was placed around the rat left ankle joint, producing 3 hours of ischemia, followed by rapid reperfusion (IR injury). NFkappaB was measured in nuclear extracts of muscle and spinal cord tissue using ELISA. Moreover, the anti-allodynic (mechanical and cold) effect was tested for systemic, intrathecal, or intraplantar treatment with the NFkappaB inhibitor pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC). At 2 and 48 hours after IR injury, NFkappaB was elevated in muscle and spinal cord of CPIP rats compared to shams. At 7 days, NFkappaB levels were normalized in muscle, but still elevated in spinal cord tissue. Systemic PDTC treatment relieved mechanical and cold allodynia in a dose-dependent manner, lasting for at least 3 hours. Intrathecal-but not intraplantar-administration also relieved mechanical allodynia. The results suggest that muscle and spinal NFkappaB plays a role in the pathogenesis of CPIP and potentially of human CRPS. PERSPECTIVE: Using the CPIP model, we demonstrate that NFkappaB is involved in the development of allodynia after a physical injury (ischemia and reperfusion) without direct nerve trauma. Since CPIP animals exhibit many features of human CRPS-I, this observation indicates a potential role for NFkappaB in human CRPS.