Practice Guidelines Interventional Techniques in the Management of Chronic Pain: Part 1.0 From The Association of Pain Management Anesthesiologists

The practice guidelines for interventional techniques in the management of chronic pain are systematically developed statements to assist practitioner and patient decisions about appropriate health care related to chronic pain. These guidelines are professionally derived recommendations for practices in the diagnosis and treatment of chronic or persistent pain. They were developed utilizing a combination of evidence and consensus to improve quality of care, increase patient access, improve patient outcomes, improve appropriateness of care, improve efficiency and effectiveness, and achieve cost containment. Included in the guidelines is a discussion of their purpose, rationale, importance, and methodology, and patient population, pathophysiologic basis, and various interventional techniques utilized in the management of chronic pain including rationale, outcomes, and cost effectiveness. They also describe the role of diagnostic blocks and therapeutic blocks with suggested algorithms for interventional techniques in the management of conservative care of chronic pain.