The Pain Department of the Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College was established in June 2008 and is the earliest center in Northeast Sichuan to carry out comprehensive pain diagnosis and treatment. After more than 10 years of continuous development and construction, it has now become the most advanced and technologically strong department in the Northeast Sichuan region, integrating clinical, teaching, and scientific research. At present, the pain department has 2 professors (chief physicians), 1 lecturer (attending physicians), 4 teaching assistants (resident physicians), and 11 caregivers (physicians). There are 4 doctoral students (including 1 postdoctoral fellow) and 3 master's students among physicians, forming a talent pool with a reasonable structure, rigorous academic style, and strong technical strength.
Scientific research achievements:
Members of the discipline group have published over 150 papers in professional journals both domestically and internationally, with over 20 papers included in SCI. Has won one second and one third prize of the Sichuan Provincial Science and Technology Progress Award, one second prize of the Sichuan Provincial Teaching Achievement Award, one third prize of the Sichuan Provincial Medical Science and Technology Award, and two second and one third prizes of the Nanchong City Science and Technology Progress Award. The discipline group has undertaken two projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, two projects funded by the Sichuan Provincial Youth Science and Technology Fund, and one project funded by the Sichuan Provincial Department of Education's scientific research and innovation team: "Pain Imaging Diagnosis and Minimally Invasive Interventional Treatment". It has applied for two patents and published three monographs: "Radiological Signs", "Non Spinal Pain Interventional Imaging", "Through the Human Body - Imaging Anatomy Atlas of Muscle Bone and Vascular System", and one computer software copyright.
Special medical treatment:
Minimally invasive treatment of neck, shoulder, waist and leg pain: a series of imaging guided minimally invasive intervention techniques for intervertebral disc herniation
Chronic neck, shoulder, waist, and leg pain is often caused by intervertebral disc herniation compressing nearby nerves. The main causes of the disease are degenerative changes in the intervertebral disc that occur with age, trauma, inappropriate exercise, and strain. The diseased intervertebral disc protrudes into the posterior spinal canal, compressing adjacent nerve roots and causing pain, or the disc fluid leaks due to rupture, stimulating nerve roots to form spinal nerve root inflammation, edema, scar formation and causing pain, resulting in clinical symptoms such as neck, shoulder, lower back pain, limb pain, numbness, etc. In severe cases, neuropathic pain is caused by long-term pain damage to nerve tissue. Some people may experience pain but there are no obvious abnormalities in the imaging examination (mostly caused by degeneration or rupture of the fibrous ring leading to radiculitis). Traditional treatments mainly involve oral medication and orthopedic surgery, but only about 3-5% of patients are suitable for surgical treatment. The minimally invasive intervention treatment techniques for spinal pain at the Pain Department of the Affiliated Hospital of Chuanbei Medical College include CT guided intervertebral disc ozone combined with collagenase chemolysis, minimally invasive techniques under intervertebral foramen endoscopy, continuous epidural target controlled micro infusion technology, radiofrequency ablation shaping surgery, and spinal cord electrostimulator implantation surgery. As a new series of minimally invasive treatment technologies for spinal cord pain, it has the advantages of minimal trauma, minimal bleeding, precise imaging guidance and visualization of minimally invasive procedures, and minimal complications. Through accurate preoperative evaluation of patients, personalized and precise treatment methods can be selected and formulated. In the field of spinal cord pain treatment, it has gradually taken a leading position.
Trigeminal neuralgia: imaging neurophysiological combined guidance for trigeminal nerve release and modulation surgery Trigeminal neuralgia is a recurrent, brief, and severe pain that affects one or several branches of the facial trigeminal nerve. Although the diagnosis of this disease is relatively easy, there is a lack of effective treatment methods, and even craniotomy surgery is required, which poses high risks and costs. Many patients have been suffering from illness for decades, and the pain makes them feel unbearable, so incidents of suicide due to illness occur from time to time. The Affiliated Hospital of Chuanbei Medical College has taken the lead in China in carrying out nerve evoked potential and CT guided release and modulation surgery for the trigeminal and sphenopalatine ganglia, which is currently one of the most effective methods for treating trigeminal neuralgia. This technology has the advantages of economy, simplicity, minimal trauma, and reproducibility, and can achieve pain relief without the need for craniotomy. Years of follow-up data have shown that it rarely relapses, and its good therapeutic effect is highly welcomed by patients.
Neurointerventional minimally invasive treatment for herpes zoster neuralgia: Herpes zoster is a popular viral infectious skin disease. After being infected with the varicella zoster virus, it lurks in the body and relapses, causing clusters of herpes zoster along the nerve innervated skin area, accompanied by neuralgia. Elderly people and those with chronic wasting diseases are prone to contracting herpes zoster, and once infected, the condition becomes more severe. People call this disease "Chuanyao Dragon" and "Tieyao Huodan", because herpes zoster involving the thoracolumbar region accounts for more than 60% of the incidence rate of this disease. In fact, this disease can also affect areas such as the head, face, ears, and upper and lower limbs. Due to its neurophilic nature, this virus always attacks along the direction of the nerves, forming a strip like pattern, hence the name "herpes zoster". Our department adopts minimally invasive nerve intervention surgery, guided by CT navigation, combined with selective nerve release, modulation, and destruction surgery, using advanced minimally invasive methods to effectively treat postherpetic neuralgia.
Diagnosis and treatment scope:
Head and facial pain: trigeminal neuralgia, glossopharyngeal neuralgia, temporomandibular joint pain, migraine, tension headaches;
Neck pain: cervical spondylosis, cervical disc herniation, cervical head, neck, shoulder, and back pain;
Chest and back pain: chest neuralgia, costochondritis, herpes zoster, and postherpetic neuralgia;
Lower back pain: lumbar disc herniation, bone and joint injury pain, small joint disorder pain, acute lumbar sprain, supraspinous ligament inflammation, and subcutaneous fasciitis of the lower back;
Hip, perineal, and lower limb pain: piriformis syndrome, sacroiliac arthritis, perineal pain, perineal neuralgia, lateral femoral cutaneous nerve compression syndrome, gluteal epithelial nerve compression syndrome;
Diseases of bones, joints, and soft tissues in the limbs: osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, tenosynovitis, synovitis, rheumatoid arthritis, mandatory spondylitis, and gout;
Visceral neuralgia: postoperative visceral neuralgia, idiopathic visceral neuralgia;
Cancer pain: Cancer pain is difficult to cure and can be controlled - curing cancer is a long-term goal, and controlling cancer pain is a practical requirement;
Non painful diseases: facial nerve paralysis, facial muscle spasms, diaphragmatic muscle spasms, stubborn hiccups, dizziness, sudden deafness, tinnitus, sleep disorders, weakened immunity, beauty, etc.
Pain department adheres to the service concept of working hand in hand with us to create a painless life, striving to help every patient who comes for treatment relieve their pain through the efforts of all colleagues in the pain department.