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Expert Insights Series: IR in Pain Management 2025

This deep dive into advanced interventional pain management is designed to equip interventional radiologists with the knowledge and skills needed to perform a range of procedures for treating patients with pain.

May 14, 2025 - Jul 10, 2025
Online
Mid career Advanced career Pain Management Expert Insights series
$695.00

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About

SIR Expert Insights seriesThis deep dive into advanced interventional pain management is designed to equip interventional radiologists with the knowledge and skills needed to perform a range of procedures for treating patients with pain. The availability and evolution of these procedures have rapidly expanded in the last decade in response to growing demand.  

This comprehensive, self-paced, 7-week course includes a blend of lectures, podcasts, case-based learning modules, technique descriptions, evidence and supplementary materials focused on practice building. 

Course objectives

  • Logically organize and describe the rapidly expanding number of available procedures to treat patients with pain in interventional radiology.   
  • Provide context and practice building guidance for interventional radiologists interested in meeting growing demand for advanced interventional pain procedures, including associated clinical care.   
  • Provide selection criteria, efficacy evidence, and technique descriptions of procedures performed in interventional radiology for the management of patients with pain.   

Curriculum

Week 1

Spine injections and augmentations: Epidurals (transforaminal, midline, cervical, lumbar, CT, fluoro), plexus injections, synovial cysts, intercostal nerves, facet injections, vertebroplasty, kyphoplasty, implantable augmentation devices.  

Faculty: John Smirniotopoulos, MD and Charles Gilliland, MD, FSIR  

Learning objectives  

  • Understand the importance and utility of a dermatomal map and be able to isolate the patient’s affected culprit dermatome(s) using a physical exam and a thorough pain history such that interlaminar ESI, transforaminal ESI, facet injections, synovial cyst interventions and more may be used to specifically manage pain generators.  
  • Discuss the indications, technique, evidence, evolution and application of spinal augmentation techniques.  
  • Understand the relevant anatomy, technique and tools required to perform the variety of blocks in and around the spine.   

Week 2

Spine ablations: BVNA, medial branch, pulsed RF   

Faculty: Junjian Huang, MD   

Learning objectives:

  • Understand indication and technique for medial branch block and ablation.  
  • Understand indication and technique for basivertebral nerve ablation.  
  • Discuss differences between standard, cooled and pulsed RF.   

Week 3

Tumor ablations: Spine, non-spine

Faculty: Alan Alper Sag, MD   

Learning objectives:

  • Discuss indications, tools and procedure for vertebral body malignancy.   

  • Discuss indications, tool, and procedure for extra-spinous malignancy.   

  • Briefly discuss practice building with oncology, orthopedics and palliative care to grow this field.   

Week 4

Nerve interventions: Neoplastic, non-neoplastic (knees, hips, shoulders, cryo, alcohol via cross sectional guidance)   

Faculty: Felix Gonzalez, MD, and J. David Prologo, MD, FSIR

Learning objectives:

  • Discuss indications and procedure steps for genicular nerve block/ablation, hip nerve block/ablation, sacroiliac joint nerve block/ablation, shoulder nerve block/ablation.   

  • Discuss nerve ablations and neurolysis for pudendal, intercostal, mixed nerves, as well as celiac/splanchnic plexus, superior hypogastric plexus, ganglion impar in the setting of cancer.    

  • Explore the mechanisms of effect of neurolytic options (cryo, alcohol, heat), their pros and cons, applications, and outcomes—including potential neuroregeneration) 

Week 5

Spine Implantables—Stimulators and pumps

Faculty: J. Dana Dunleavy, MD, and Dr. Jorge Zoltchenko   

Learning objectives:

  • List the options for spinal implantables (stimulators and intrathecal pumps). Understand the indications and workup of patients who may benefit from them.   

  • Understand technique for placement of a spinal cord stimulator and the relevant follow-up.   

  • Understand technique for placement of a intrathecal pump and the relevant follow-up.   

Week 6

Biologics and embotherapy    

Faculty: Osman Ahmed, MD 

Learning objectives:

  • List the different injectable biologic agents (platelet-rich plasma, bone marrow aspirate concentrate, stem cells, amniotic membrane-based products, etc.) and their applicable targets/disease states.    

  • Explore beyond our borders how biologics are being used and marketed through famous athletes and/or celebrities and potential evidence-based applications for the interventional radiologist.    

  • Identify the disease states (and the relevant clinical workup), embolization targets and procedural techniques for MSK embolotherapy.   

Week 7

Practice building    

Faculty: Shantanu Warhadpande, MD  

Learning objectives:

  • Describe the opportunities for interventional radiologists to enter the pain management space.   

  • Delineate techniques for building referral patterns to interventional radiology for the management of pain.   

  • Provide mitigation strategies to manage competition, address demand and establish kinetic longitudinal care models for an advanced interventional pain practice.  

About the Expert Insight Series
Continuing Medical Education (CME) accreditation statementThe Society of Interventional Radiology is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide medical education for physicians.
The Society of Interventional Radiology designates this enduring material for a maximum of 15 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Following this activity, we expect our learners to be able to apply the most recent techniques in interventional radiology and upskill in their use of devices, techniques, and procedures.

Disclosure of financial relationships
The planners and faculty for this activity did not have any relevant relationships with ACCME-defined ineligible companies to disclose unless listed in the disclosure for learners document below. All relevant relationships were mitigated prior to the start of the activity according to The Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education.

Disclosure of commercial support
SIR gratefully acknowledges the following ACCME-defined ineligible companies for providing an educational grant in support of the quality education presented at this activity. Coming soon.

International credit recognition
The following Countries, Regions, and Accrediting Bodies accept or have reciprocity or mutual recognition of credits with the AMA/ACCME. Please contact the accrediting body to find out more information on submitting or converting your credits.
  • Bavarian Chamber of Physicians (Germany) 
  • Bulgarian Union of Scientific Medical Societies (Bulgaria) 
  • Canadian Medical Association (Canada) 
  • Canadian Nurses Association (Canada) 
  • EBAC® (European Board for Accreditation of Continuing Education for Health Professionals) 
  • Federation of Royal Colleges of Physicians (UK) 
  • French National Medical Council (France) 
  • Italian Federation of Scientific Medical Societies (Italy) 
  • National CME Commission of the Italian Ministry of Health (Italy) 
  • Spanish Accreditation Council for CME (Spain)
  • UEMS-EACCME® (European Union of Medical Specialists) 

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