title: Treatment of neuropathic pain in Sierra Leone.
abstract: During Sierra Leone's violent decade-long war, the warring parties used amputation, especially of arms, as a means of terror. In a camp for amputees in the capital city Freetown, Médecins Sans Frontières established a clinic and a treatment programme for neuropathic pain. Insecurity and cultural and language barriers have complicated this work, but medical and humanitarian benefits have been demonstrated. Pain services are virtually non-existent in less-developed countries. There have recently been no major treatment advances for neuropathic or phantom pain; however, the general body of knowledge about amputation pain can be increased by observations from these difficult settings.
authors.affiliation: Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee DD1 9SY, Scotland, UK. office@london.msf.uk
authors.forename: Phillipe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lacoux
authors.forename: Nathan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ford
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000672:Amputation Stumps / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018710:Pain Clinics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010591:Phantom Limb / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D012807:Sierra Leone; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology