Average age of your patients that GET A PROCEDURE?

[Ligament]

What is the
1. average age of the patients in your practice
2. average age of patients that actually get scheduled for a procedure
3. do you have age cutoffs for certain procedures?

thanks

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[Tenesma]

1) average age: 57-59 - it gets skewed because i have had a lot of over 90 year olds lately

2) about the same

3) no age cut-off: i will do a procedure on about anybody (have done one on a 16 year old and one on a 96 year old).... For true pedi procedures (ie: interscalene block for PT for RSD of wrist in an 8 year old) i would refer them to a tertiary center with a dedicated peds pain program w/ peds anesthesia
- however, i RARELY do procedures on people under 30 unless it is for diagnostic purposes or as a last ditch effort to avoid surgery. I find that most people under 30 tend to get better with time, and I also don't think it is fair/appropriate for young men and women to be exposed to potentially routine corticosteroids...

 

[PMR 4 MSK]

When I looked at 300 consecutive patients last year that I injected, the average age was 62.8.

The average age of the last 100 patients I saw in the clinic is 59.7.

I agree with Tenesma - I rarely do pain procedures on people in their 20's, and almost never in kids.

 

[Ligament]

This is great data thank you!

When I looked at 300 consecutive patients last year that I injected, the average age was 62.8.

The average age of the last 100 patients I saw in the clinic is 59.7.

I agree with Tenesma - I rarely do pain procedures on people in their 20's, and almost never in kids.

 

[nvshelat]

1) average age: 57-59 - it gets skewed because i have had a lot of over 90 year olds lately

2) about the same

3) no age cut-off: i will do a procedure on about anybody (have done one on a 16 year old and one on a 96 year old).... For true pedi procedures (ie: interscalene block for PT for RSD of wrist in an 8 year old) i would refer them to a tertiary center with a dedicated peds pain program w/ peds anesthesia
- however, i RARELY do procedures on people under 30 unless it is for diagnostic purposes or as a last ditch effort to avoid surgery. I find that most people under 30 tend to get better with time, and I also don't think it is fair/appropriate for young men and women to be exposed to potentially routine corticosteroids...

Do these people tend to be peds anesthesia trained, and then do another fellowship in pain? Or pain mgmt certified that work in a children's hospital?
I've given some thought to pain mgmt in the peds pop, it seems incredibly rewarding...

 

[ParaVert]

I'm doing a two level vertebroplasty on a 92 year-old lady this afternoon. I did two adjacent levels on her 6 months ago. Both under MAC and local, she did great last time - I hope for the same again today.

The majority of my patients are between 65-85 for procedures and otherwise. I have one lady with lumbar stenosis that is 101. OK, even I have my limits. I'm afraid she'll crumble if I poke her. Besides, she does OK on 1/2 Darvocet per day. She's really sweet and just likes to come in - my staff is good at doting on the little ol' ladies.

Truth is, I hate the young ones. The younger the pain patient, the greater the incidence of personality disorder, entitlement, drug and disability seeking. I think this theory is clearly demonstrated in literature as well.

 

[Tenesma]

agree - agree - agree ....

 

[baya]

Truth is, I hate the young ones. The younger the pain patient, the greater the incidence of personality disorder, entitlement, drug and disability seeking. I think this theory is clearly demonstrated in literature as well.

Does that make psych->pain folks better at treating young pain patients?

 

[stim4u]

Show me a psychiatrist/psychologist in the community willing to offer CBT, coping skills, breathing tech, hypnosis, etc to chronic pain patients, and actually take medicare or commercial insurance.... It is impossible to find mental health professionals willing (or even interested) in this aspect of pain management. The best pediatric pain MD's have trained at tertiary center programs that actually rotate through PEDs units...

 

[PMR 4 MSK]

Does that make psych->pain folks better at treating young pain patients?

No, it means you take a different approach with these patients - avoid needles more, use pschological and phsycial interventions more. And definately avoid opioids in younger patients unless no other choice.