Anesthesiology, Resuscitation, and Pain Management

A special issue of Medicina (ISSN 1648-9144). This special issue belongs to the section "Intensive Care/ Anesthesiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 May 2026 | Viewed by 1314

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Emergency Department, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Iași, 700115 Iași, Romania
Interests: CPR; critical cardiac care; sepsis; trauma; POCUS; point of care biomarkers; emergency intervention, ECMO
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Guest Editor
University Clinic of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Department X Surgery II, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 3000041 Timisoara, Romania
Interests: anesthesia; intensive care; CRRT; medical teaching; quality improvement management and guidelines

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Guest Editor Assistant
Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Oradea, 410073 Oradea, Romania
Interests: perioperative anesthesia; regional anesthesia; pain medicine; emergency medicine; medical simulation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Anesthesiology is an important branch of medicine dedicated to the relief of pain and total care of surgical patients before, during, and after surgery. It encompasses general anesthesia, regional anesthesia, sedation, and pain management, ensuring patient comfort and safety.

Resuscitation involves restoring vital functions in a patient experiencing cardio-respiratory arrest.

Pain management refers to medical practices aimed at reducing or eliminating pain, whether acute, chronic, or cancer-related. It encompasses pharmacological treatments, interventional procedures, physical therapy, and psychological support, and many more forms of assistance.

These three fields are interconnected and closely linked:

  • Anesthesiology often manages perioperative pain and critical care.
  • Resuscitation skills are essential in anesthesiology and emergency settings.
  • Pain management grew out of anesthesiology and overlaps with palliative care, neurology, and rehabilitation.

The disciplines of anesthesiology, resuscitation, and pain management have evolved over the last years to become sophisticated, evidence-based medical specialties. Together, they represent a cornerstone of patient care in both acute and chronic settings, aiming to enhance survival, comfort, and quality of life.

The aim and scope of this Special Issue is to support research in the field by providing a context where the experts and authors can present their opinion and their research results.

This Special Issue will focus on cutting-edge research, with a preference for studies or investigations that are at the forefront of scientific or technological advancement. In particular, we welcome research that

  • Explores new, innovative ideas or methods;
  • Pushes the boundaries of current knowledge;
  • Often involves advanced technologies, novel theories, or experimental techniques;
  • May lead to breakthrough discoveries or new applications in a field.

We are soliciting original research papers, systematic reviews, and clinical studies that contribute to the advancement of knowledge and practice in the fields of anesthesiology, resuscitation, and pain medicine.

This Special Issue will consider the following domains:

Anesthesiology

  • Innovations in general, regional, and local anesthesia.
  • Perioperative monitoring and management.
  • Anesthesia in special populations (pediatrics, geriatrics, obstetrics).
  • AI and machine learning applications in anesthetic practice.
  • Safety and risk reduction in anesthesia.

Resuscitation

  • Advances in basic and advanced life support.
  • Technologies in cardiac arrest response (e.g., AEDs, wearable monitors, ECMO).
  • Post-resuscitation care and neurological outcomes.
  • Simulation-based training and education in resuscitation.
  • Public health and community-based CPR interventions.

Pain Management

  • Pharmacological and non-pharmacological pain therapies.
  • Chronic and cancer pain management strategies.
  • Interventional pain techniques (e.g., nerve blocks, spinal cord stimulation).
  • Multidisciplinary approaches and rehabilitation.
  • Opioid stewardship and alternatives.

Prof. Dr. Diana Cimpoesu
Dr. Ovidiu-Horea Bedreag
Guest Editors

Dr. Mihai Octavian Botea
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Medicina is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • anesthesiology
  • resuscitation
  • pain medicine
  • general anesthesia
  • regional anesthesia
  • emergency medicine
  • perioperative anesthesia

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 3172 KB  
Article
Lumbar Interlaminar Ventral Epidural Injection Without Catheter at L5–S1 for Lumbosacral Radicular Pain: A Pilot Feasibility Study
by Jiho Park, Seounghun Lee, Sunyeul Lee, ChaeSeong Lim and Yeojung Kim
Medicina 2025, 61(11), 2069; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina61112069 - 20 Nov 2025
Viewed by 371
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Lumbar interlaminar ventral epidural injection (LIVEI) offers a promising alternative to transforaminal epidural injection (TFEI) by enabling ventral epidural delivery while minimizing complication risks. While previous approaches often required catheter assistance, this pilot study evaluates the safety, technical feasibility, and [...] Read more.
Background and Objectives: Lumbar interlaminar ventral epidural injection (LIVEI) offers a promising alternative to transforaminal epidural injection (TFEI) by enabling ventral epidural delivery while minimizing complication risks. While previous approaches often required catheter assistance, this pilot study evaluates the safety, technical feasibility, and early outcomes of a simplified LIVEI method at L5–S1 without catheter insertion. Materials and Methods: Twelve patients with lumbosacral radicular pain received unilateral catheter-free LIVEI at L5–S1 between October 2021 and September 2022. This small retrospective pilot cohort did not include a control group. Contrast spread patterns were evaluated fluoroscopically based on AP and lateral views. Spread was classified into three grades depending on anterior epidural distribution, cranio-caudal extent, and foraminal involvement. Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores were assessed before and two weeks after the procedure. Spread was classified into three grades depending on anterior epidural distribution, cranio-caudal extent, and foraminal involvement. Results: Fluoroscopic images confirmed ventral epidural spread in all patients, with 75% showing foraminal extension and 67% demonstrating cranio-caudal spread over two or more levels. Baseline VAS scores averaged 6.5 ± 1.0, decreasing to 3.42 ± 1.31 two weeks post-procedure (p < 0.0001), with a mean reduction of 3.08 ± 1.00. No adverse events or complications were observed. Conclusions: Catheter-free LIVEI at the L5–S1 level demonstrated consistent anterior and multi-level ventral epidural contrast distribution on fluoroscopy, supporting the technical feasibility of this approach. In addition to this radiographic validation, patients achieved clinically meaningful pain relief with excellent tolerability. Further confirmation through larger-scale controlled studies is warranted to validate long-term clinical effectiveness. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anesthesiology, Resuscitation, and Pain Management)
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16 pages, 1384 KB  
Article
Intravenous Lidocaine for Postoperative Pain and Recovery After Robotic Prostate Adenomectomy: A Retrospective Observational Cohort Study
by Georgiana Maria Popa, Simona-Alina Abu-Awwad, Ahmed Abu-Awwad, Carmen-Ioana Marta, Erika Bimbo-Szuhai, Mihaela Gabriela Bontea, Adrian Gheorghe Osiceanu, Anca Mihaela Bina, Cristian Mihai Moisa Cezar, Ciprian Dumitru Puscas and Mihai O. Botea
Medicina 2025, 61(11), 2045; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina61112045 - 16 Nov 2025
Viewed by 595
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Effective perioperative pain management remains a key goal of enhanced recovery protocols, especially in minimally invasive urologic surgery, where optimizing comfort while limiting opioid exposure is essential. Intravenous lidocaine has gained attention for its multimodal analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties, [...] Read more.
Background and Objectives: Effective perioperative pain management remains a key goal of enhanced recovery protocols, especially in minimally invasive urologic surgery, where optimizing comfort while limiting opioid exposure is essential. Intravenous lidocaine has gained attention for its multimodal analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties, yet evidence in robotic prostatectomy remains limited. This study evaluated whether intraoperative lidocaine infusion was associated with lower early postoperative pain scores and reduced opioid use in patients undergoing robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy. Materials and Methods: A retrospective, single-center analysis was conducted at Pelican Clinical Hospital, Oradea, Romania, including 112 patients operated on between January 2020 and December 2023. All procedures were performed by the same surgical and anesthetic teams using standardized ERAS-based protocols. Patients were divided into two groups: the Lidocaine Group (LG, n = 51), who received a bolus of 1.5 mg/kg lidocaine followed by an infusion of 1.5 mg/kg/h during surgery, and the Control Group (CG, n = 61), who received standard anesthesia without lidocaine. Postoperative pain was measured using the visual analog scale (VAS) at 0, 4, 12, and 24 h, and opioid use was converted into morphine milligram equivalents (MME). Secondary outcomes included time to ambulation, gastrointestinal recovery, oral intake, hospital stay, and complications. Results: Pain intensity was significantly lower in the lidocaine group at 4 h postoperatively (VAS 3.5 ± 1.1 vs. 4.3 ± 1.3; p = 0.01), with similar scores later. Total opioid use was reduced by about 18% in the lidocaine group (25.7 ± 9.4 vs. 31.2 ± 10.5 MME; p = 0.03). Recovery parameters and complication rates were comparable between groups, and no lidocaine-related adverse events were recorded. Conclusions: Intraoperative intravenous lidocaine was associated with lower early postoperative pain scores and reduced opioid requirements after robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy without affecting recovery or safety. Its favorable profile and low cost support its inclusion as a practical adjunct in multimodal analgesia within ERAS pathways. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anesthesiology, Resuscitation, and Pain Management)
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