Includes bibliographical references and index.

Pathophysiology of pain and genetic advance -- Integrated axon-synapse unit in the central nervous system -- Neurochemical memory in pain circuits -- Withdrawal reflex: phylosophy and physiology -- Pathophysiology of pain modulation -- Role of the central nervous system in processing pain stimuli and perspectives of pharmacological intervention -- Pain and the genome -- Pharmacology -- Clinical pharmacology of local anaesthetic agents -- Drug interactions and systemic toxicity -- Placental transfer of pharmacological agents -- Clinical perspectives of cholecystokinin antagonists in pain management -- Clinical pharmacology of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: novel acquisitions -- Opioids -- Psychoactive drugs and pain -- Regional techniques -- Trigeminal neuralgia and atypical facial pain: current concepts on etiopathogenesis and diagnosis -- Trigeminal nerve block and surgery -- Cervical plexus block -- Neuroaxial analgesia: epidural and spinal drugs -- Combined spinal epidural anaesthesia -- Imaging for regional block: clinical applications of sympathetic blockade in pain therapy -- Postoperative advantages of regional anaesthesia -- Organization of pain service -- Organization of acute pain services -- Regional anaesthesia in specialties -- Regional analgesia and anaesthesia in obstetrics -- Regional anaesthetic techniques in orthopaedics -- Guidelines of acute and chronic pain management -- Guidelines on acute postoperative pain management -- Guidelines on chronic pain management -- Terminal cancer illness: strategies and management -- Cost-effectiveness of loco-regional anaesthesia -- Cost effectiveness of anaesthesia/analgesia