2018 AANS Annual Scientific Meeting-Neurosurgical Face-off: Ablative Procedures for Pain

Video Transcription

Video Summary

In this video, Dr. Andre Machado presents the argument in favor of neuroablation procedures for pain management. He discusses the benefits of neuroablation, including its permanence, cost-effectiveness, and effectiveness in treating cancer pain and other types of pain. He also highlights the importance of neuroablation in countries with limited healthcare resources and the need for less frequent follow-up compared to neuromodulation procedures. Dr. Machado acknowledges the pushback against neuroablation due to safety concerns but argues that neurosurgeons are trained to handle technically demanding and risky procedures. He challenges the assumptions that device implantation is always simpler and safer than ablation and that devices are always more effective. Dr. Machado presents evidence of the efficacy and safety of neuroablation, particularly for non-malignant pain conditions like trigeminal neuralgia. He concludes by suggesting that attitudes towards ablation may change as new pain ablation technologies emerge. The video also includes comments from other doctors who emphasize the need for training in ablative procedures and the importance of using a variety of treatment options for pain management.

Asset Caption

Andre Guelman Machado, MD, PhD

Keywords

neuroablation procedures

pain management

cost-effectiveness

safety concerns

trigeminal neuralgia