Pain Management Center

At The University of Kansas Health System St. Francis Campus Pain Management Center, we are committed to alleviating or minimizing pain in patients suffering from acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term) conditions. Patients can find relief through exceptional, innovative therapies designed to enhance their ability to resume daily activities with less discomfort.  

Conveniently located next to The University of Kansas Health System St. Francis Campus in Suite 104 of the Mulvane Building, the Pain Management Center offers 12 private examination rooms and four procedure rooms. Our pain specialists use state-of-the-art equipment to enhance the outpatient treatment process, allowing many patients to leave within a few hours.

Some of the types of pain we treat include:

  • Spine-related pain
  • Radicular pain (lumbar, cervical and thoracic)
  • Herniated discs
  • Spinal stenosis
  • Facet joint pain
  • Sacroiliac joint pain
  • Postlaminectomy syndrome
  • Low back pain, neck pain, midback pain
  • Complex Regional Pain Syndromes (CRPS) I and II (or reflex sympathetic dystrophy and causalgia)
  • Cervicogenic headaches

At the Pain Management Center, we believe each person should be treated with personalized, compassionate care. Each individual has unique needs and, therefore, should have a unique treatment plan — and that’s exactly the approach our specialists take to managing pain. Our highly skilled team provides a broad spectrum of pain management services using state-of-the-art equipment. Among the treatments offered are:

Coolief* Cooled Radiofrequency Treatment

This minimally invasive non-surgical procedure uses cooled radio-frequency energy to safely target and treat nerves causing pain. Studies have shown that Cooled Radiofrequency treatment can provide chronic back, sacroiliac, knee, and hip pain patients up to 24 months of pain relief, improved function and reduced need for pain medicine. Our specialists are currently the only in the region to offer this procedure and it may be an effective pain management option for those that not do not want or cannot have joint replacement surgery. 

Epidural Steroid Injection

This procedure involves injecting a steroid into the epidural space to decrease pain associated with disc herniation and/or nerve irritation associated with spinal stenosis. The medication is placed into the space that surrounds the nerve roots and lines cervical, thoracic and lumbar areas.

Selective Nerve Block

This procedure involves a foraminal injection of medication addressing a specific nerve root that is irritated or inflamed. This approach allows the medication to be targeted as precisely as possible toward the pain-generating nerve.

Facet Joint Injection

Steroid and local anesthetic are injected under fluoroscopy guidance into the facet joints, which are small joints located on the sides of the spine. This can be used to treat pain from degenerative disease of the spine and can be performed in the cervical, thoracic and lumbar areas.

Diagnostic Facet Injection (medial branch blocks)

This injection of a highly concentrated anesthetic close to the nerves of the facet joints of the spine determines whether the patient is a candidate for radiofrequency neurotomy. This can be performed on the cervical, thoracic or lumbar facet joints.

Radiofrequency Medial Branch Neurotomies

This procedure is minimally invasive and can help treat facet joint pain. The treatment involves controlled heat to disrupt the nerve conduction from the facet joint. Pain control lasts six to 12 months.

Sacroiliac Joint Injection

This procedure involves injecting a steroid medication into the sacroiliac joint (spine and hip bone connection) to decrease pain from this joint.

Greater Occipital Nerve Block

An injection of local anesthetic and steroid around the greater occipital nerve (base of the skull) is performed to decrease headaches.

Trigger Point Injection

Local anesthetics and sometimes a steroid are injected into tight bands of muscles to reduce pain, tightness and inflammation.

Neurolytic Blocks

Injection of a neuro-destructive medication (alcohol/phenol) in proximity of peripheral nerves can relieve pain for a longer time.

Stellate Ganglion Bock

This procedure involves an injection local anesthetic close to the stellate ganglion (located at the base of the neck) to provide sympathetic blockade of an upper extremity. It is used to treat complex regional pain syndromes (CRPS) I and II  (reflex sympathy dystrophy and causalgia).

Spinal Cord Stimulation

This treatment for chronic back, leg or arm pain is used when patients have not found relief with other therapies. A device similar to a pacemaker is surgically implanted and sends a mild electric current to the nerves in the area of pain. The electrical pulses mask the pain signal from reaching the brain.

For more information about the Pain Management Center or the treatments we provide, please call  785-295-8385.

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Call us toll-free at 1-833-4NEWDOC (1-833-463-9362). 

 

Michael Gaume, MD
Pain Medicine, Anesthesiology