Manipulation Under Anesthesia: A Report of Four Cases
Received 16 January 2004; received in revised form 8 December 2004
Abstract
Objective
To report the results of manipulation under anesthesia (MUA) for 4 patients with chronic spinal, sacroiliac, and/or pelvic and low back pain.
Methods
The treatment group was arbitrarily selected from the chiropractor's patient base who received the MUA protocol along with a follow-up in-office articular and myofascial release program that mimics the MUA procedures. The chiropractic adjustments and articular and myofascial release procedures were performed in a chiropractic office. The MUA procedures were performed in an outpatient ambulatory surgical center. Patients with chronic pain who had not adequately responded to conservative medical and/or a reasonable trial (4 months minimum) of chiropractic adjustments, and had no contraindications to anesthesia or adjustments, were selected. The 4 patients went through 3 consecutive days of MUA followed by an 8-week protocol of the same procedures plus physiotherapy in-office without anesthesia. Data included pre- and post-MUA passive ranges of motion, changes in the visual analog scale, and neurologic and orthopedic examination findings. The patients had follow-up varying from 9 to 18 months.
Results
Increases in passive ranges of motion, decreases in the visual analog scale rating, and diminishment of subsequent visit frequency were seen in each of the patients.
Conclusion
Manipulation under anesthesia was an effective approach to restoring articular and myofascial movements for these 4 patients who did not adequately respond to either medical and/or in-office conservative chiropractic adjustments and adjunctive techniques. (J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2005;28:526-533)
ABSTRACT