Recent advances in the management of pain

New approaches for the relief of pain have been developed. These new avenues of therapy are of 2 types. First are those in which an old operation, such as cordotomy or retrogasserian rhizotomy for trigeminal neuralgia, have been modified to allow percutaneous, radiofrequency destruction of nervous tissue, thus avoiding a major operation. The techniques are now standard and their value well established. The second type is based upon the concept of electrical stimulation of non painful sensory fibers for the suppression of pain sensation. These procedures are in the stage of investigation and development.