Treating patients with intractable neuropathic pain is challenging.

Electrical stimulation of the spinal cord and peripheral nerve stimulation or electrical nerve block has opened new opportunities for treating selective patient population successfully by improving pain and restoring function.

Areas of Interest

  • Neuropathic and intractable pain of somatic and visceral origin
  • Development of novel treatments using neuromodulation including electrical and intrathecal drug infusion via implantable devices.
  • Beside applications of new technology, I am interested on functional outcomes captured by either complex patient reported measures and /or wearable devices as markers of neuroplasticity and disease modification by neuromodulation.

Research Programs

  • Spinal cord stimulation application and mechanism of action
  • Intrathecal therapies, identification of optimal delivery patterns and new applications
  • Peripheral nerve stimulation
  • Functional outcomes from neuromodulation
  • Studying mechanisms by which neuromodulation might promote neuronal regeneration

Publications (Select)

Entire publication list can be found here.

  • McEwan MT, Hayek SM, Galica R, Sundaram V, Veizi E. Sudden Intrathecal Drug Delivery Device Motor Stalls: A Case Series Update. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2018 Aug;43(6):654-655. doi: 10.1097/AAP.0000000000000849. PubMed PMID: 30036327.
  • Galica RJ, Hayek SM, Veizi E, McEwan MT, Katta S, Ali O, Aziz N, Sondhi N. Intrathecal Trialing of Continuous Infusion Combination Therapy With Hydromorphone and Bupivacaine in Failed Back Surgery Patients. Neuromodulation. 2017 Dec 5. doi: 10.1111/ner.12737. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 29206315.
  • Deer TR, Pope JE, Hayek SM, Lamer TJ, Veizi IE, Erdek M, Wallace MS, Grider JS, Levy RM, Prager J, Rosen SM, Saulino M, Yaksh TL, De Andrés JA, Abejon Gonzalez D, Vesper J, Schu S, Simpson B, Mekhail N. The Polyanalgesic Consensus Conference (PACC): Recommendations for Intrathecal Drug Delivery: Guidance for Improving Safety and Mitigating Risks. Neuromodulation. 2017 Feb;20(2):155-176. doi: 10.1111/ner.12579. Epub 2017 Jan 2. Review. PubMed PMID: 28042914.
  • Veizi E, Hayek SM, North J, Brent Chafin T, Yearwood TL, Raso L, Frey R, Cairns K, Berg A, Brendel J, Haider N, McCarty M, Vucetic H, Sherman A, Chen L, Mekel-Bobrov N. Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) with Anatomically Guided (3D) Neural Targeting Shows Superior Chronic Axial Low Back Pain Relief Compared to Traditional SCS-LUMINA Study. Pain Med. 2017 Jan 20. pii: pnw286. doi: 10.1093/pm/pnw286. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 28108641.
  • Veizi IE, Hayek SM, Hanes M, Galica R, Katta S, Yaksh T. Primary Hydromorphone-Related Intrathecal Catheter Tip Granulomas: Is There a Role for Dose and Concentration?Neuromodulation. 2016 Oct;19(7):760-769. doi: 10.1111/ner.12481. Epub 2016 Aug 9. PubMed PMID: 27505059.
  • Veizi E, Tornero-Bold M, Hayek SM. Resolution of Intrathecal Hydromorphone or Morphine-induced Peripheral Edema by Opioid Rotation to Fentanyl: A Case Series. Pain Pract. 2016 Jul;16(6):E94-8. doi: 10.1111/papr.12443. Epub 2016 Mar 15. PubMed PMID: 26990069.
  • Hayek SM, Veizi E, Hanes M. Intrathecal Hydromorphone and Bupivacaine Combination Therapy for Post-Laminectomy Syndrome Optimized with Patient-Activated Bolus Device. Pain Med. 2015 Dec 14. pii: pnv021. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 26814257.
  • Hayek SM, Veizi E, Hanes M. Treatment-Limiting Complications of Percutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulator Implants: A Review of Eight Years of Experience From an Academic Center Database.Neuromodulation. 2015 Oct;18(7):603-8; discussion 608-9. doi: 10.1111/ner.12312. Epub 2015 Jun 5. PubMed PMID: 26053499.
  • Hayek SM, Hanes MC, Wang C, Veizi IE. Ziconotide Combination Intrathecal Therapy for Noncancer Pain Is Limited Secondary to Delayed Adverse Effects: A Case Series With a 24-Month Follow-Up. Neuromodulation : journal of the International Neuromodulation Society. 2015.
  • Cohen SP, Hanling S, Bicket MC, et al. Epidural steroid injections compared with gabapentin for lumbosacral radicular pain: multicenter randomized double blind comparative efficacy study. BMJ. 2015;350:h1748.
  • Hayek SM, Veizi E, Hanes M. Treatment-Limiting Complications of Percutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulator Implants: A Review of Eight Years of Experience From an Academic Center Database. Neuromodulation : journal of the International Neuromodulation Society. 2015;18(7):603-609.
  • Veizi E, Hayek S. Interventional therapies for chronic low back pain. Neuromodulation : journal of the International Neuromodulation Society. 2014;17 Suppl 2:31-45.
  • Chelimsky T, Chelimsky G, McCabe NP, et al. Interstitial Cystitis – Elucidation of Psychophysiologic and Autonomic Characteristics (the ICEPAC Study): design and methods. Journal of pain research. 2014;7:243-253.
  • Veizi IE, Hayek SM, Narouze S, Pope JE, Mekhail N. Combination of intrathecal opioids with bupivacaine attenuates opioid dose escalation in chronic noncancer pain patients. Pain medicine. 2011;12(10):1481-1489.
  • Hayek SM, Veizi IE, Stanton-Hicks M. Four-limb neurostimulation with neuroelectrodes placed in the lower cervical epidural space. Anesthesiology. 2009;110(3):681-684.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

Investigator
Cleveland FES Center

Pain Physician
Chief, Pain Medicine Service Line
North East Ohio VA Health Care System

Associate Professor, Department of Anesthesiology, Pain Medicine
Case Western Reserve University

CONTACT INFORMATION

Program Contact
Elias Veizi, MD, PhD

Contact Number
(216) 791-3800 x 65548

Contact Email
 Elias.Veizi@va.gov