Regenerative Medicine, Key Part Of Interventional Pain Management

An important and growing nexus exists between interventional pain medicine and regenerative medicine, according to Laxmaiah Manchikanti, MD.

“Regenerative medicine plays a crucial role in interventional pain medicine,” said Manchikanti, the chairman of the board and CEO of the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians.

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OCTOBER 16, 2024

Regenerative Medicine, Key Part Of Interventional Pain Management

An important and growing nexus exists between interventional pain medicine and regenerative medicine, according to Laxmaiah Manchikanti, MD.

“Regenerative medicine plays a crucial role in interventional pain medicine,” said Manchikanti, the chairman of the board and CEO of the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians. “While the diagnostic process and patient selection are similar and procedures often require imaging, regenerative medicine differs in terms of substances used. Instead of traditional pharmaceuticals, biologics are employed, which come with a range of restrictions and require specialized knowledge.”

Regenerative biotherapeutics range from stem cell therapy and tissue engineering to cellular therapies and gene editing, all of which leverage the body’s natural healing processes to treat conditions that traditional medicine can’t, such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

To help clinicians navigate the space between these two disciplines, Manchikanti edited two books on the subjects: “Essentials of Regenerative Medicine in Interventional Pain Management” (second edition, Springer; 2024) and “Essentials of Interventional Techniques in Managing Chronic Pain” (also second edition, Springer; 2024).

The first book addresses the pathophysiology, applicability and technical aspects of regenerative medicine as well as related anatomy, complications and precautions to take.

“The second edition reflects significant advancements in regenerative medicine. We have updated the book and added new chapters,” Manchikanti said.

The second book includes specific treatments and modalities, such as spinal interventional techniques, non-spinal and peripheral nerve blocks, sympathetic interventional techniques, soft tissue and joint injections, and implantable devices. Practical and evidence-based, this book includes new chapters about opioid therapy and COVID-19.

“COVID-19 had a profound impact on the practice of interventional pain medicine. We developed multiple guidelines covering everything from utilization patterns and infection control practices to documentation requirements,” said Manchikanti, who noted the two-volume compendium also addresses use of opioids.

“Managing opioid therapy presents a significant challenge for interventional pain medicine physicians, which is why our opioid guidelines address these issues comprehensively,” he said.

According to the book, interventional pain medicine improves the cost and efficiency of care. Information from Cleveland Clinic corroborates this, stating interventional therapies provide “effective treatment” for acute, subacute and chronic pain conditions. “Joint injections, nerve blocks and epidural injections have been associated with functional improvements, cost savings and require little or no downtime for the patient.”

“Numerous studies have demonstrated that interventional pain medicine is not only clinically effective but cost-effective,” said Manchikanti, who added both books contain contributions from authorities in regenerative and interventional pain medicine. “These techniques improve the patient’s quality of life by providing pain relief, enhancing functional status and often reducing opioid use.

“An opinion holds little value unless it comes from experts. We have been fortunate to collaborate with renowned experts from around the world, including U.S. physicians who teach internationally. Many of the contributors to these books are globally recognized in their fields,” Manchikanti said.

Indeed, “Essentials of Regenerative Medicine in Interventional Pain Management” states that “from across the globe, leading experts in their respective fields contributed chapters on specific topics to present a cogent and integrative understanding of the field of regenerative medicine as applicable for [interventional pain medicine] physicians. This comprehensive text achieves its goal of providing an evidence-based approach to application of principles of regenerative medicine in managing chronic pain of spinal, neurological, and musculoskeletal origins.”

“The practice of modern medicine is both an art and a science,” Manchikanti said. “For a physician to thrive and find satisfaction in their work, they must stay current with the latest knowledge and understand the rules, regulations and standards of practice.”

—Sherree Geyer