About

Tariq Muslim Malik, MD, is an Associate Professor of Anesthesia and Critical Care at the University of Chicago. His clinical interests encompass a wide range of pain management techniques and conditions, including abdominal pain, acute and chronic pain management, back pain, post-surgical pain, discogenic pain, head and neck pain, hip and knee pain, and neuropathic pain. He specializes in interventional pain management, regional anesthesia, epidural analgesia, epidural blood patch, intrathecal drug delivery, neuromodulation, and peripheral neuromodulation therapy. Dr. Malik has contributed to the development of educational curricula for peripheral nerve stimulation and intrathecal drug delivery systems, published in the journal Neuromodulation in 2023. His work involves advancing neuromodulation techniques and their management, reflecting his focus on improving pain treatment modalities. He is actively involved in research and education within the field of neuromodulation and pain management, serving as a key figure in the Department of Anesthesia & Critical Care at the University of Chicago.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Psychology
• Computer Science
• Pedagogy
• Medical education
• Internal medicine
• Physical medicine and rehabilitation
• Pathology
• Anesthesia
• Neuroscience
• Surgery

Selected publications

• ID# 1906192 Preventing Wrong Site Surgery in Pain Management: A Case Study and Protocol Development

  Neuromodulation Technology at the Neural Interface · 2025-09-23

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Indirect and Direct Lumbar Spine Decompression: Indications, Patient Selection, Efficacy, and Outcomes

  International Anesthesiology Clinics · 2025-11-20

  articleSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• Procedural Interventions for the Treatment of Cancer Pain

  International Anesthesiology Clinics · 2025-11-20

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Comparison of Low and High Dosage Regime of Oxytocin for Uterine Contraction in Elective Caesarean Sections Performed Under Spinal Anaesthesia

  Pakistan Armed Forces Medical Journal · 2025-03-25

  articleOpen access

  Objective: To compare low dose intravenous to high dose during elective Cesarean Sections. Study Design: Quasi-experimental study. Place and Duration of Study: Main Operation Theatre, Pak Emirates Military Hospital, Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Apr to May 2022. Methodology: A total of two hundred term pregnant women were randomized to either 5 IU intravenous bolus group or 10 IU intravenous bolus group of Oxytocin. The difference in Hemoglobin levels (Pre-op minus post-op), tachycardia percentage, tone of uterus and need for additional “rescue” uterotonic doses/ agents, hypotension and post Oxytocin administration vomiting were assessed. Results: The primary outcome was efficacy of both drugs in causing uterine contraction. There were 6(6.1%) patients in Low dose group who developed uterine atony while there were 5(5.3%) patients who developed uterine atony in group High dose. There were 18(18.4%) patients who developed partially inadequate uterine contraction in group LD versus 15(15.8%) patients in Group HD. There were 74(75.5%) patients who developed adequate contraction in group LD versus 75(78.9%) patients in group HD who developed adequate contraction with p-value of 0.850. The frequency of side effects was also comparable in both study groups. The estimated blood loss was as mean drop in hemoglobin was 1.77±.42 grams per deciliter in group LD versus 1.49±0.50 grams per deciliter in group HD with p-value of 0.469. Conclusion: We concluded that use of low dose of oxytocin has similar efficacy in causing uterine contraction compared to high dose.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Dermoscopic Evaluation of Onychomycosis Patterns: Cross-sectional Evidence from a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital

  Pakistan Armed Forces Medical Journal · 2025-12-31

  articleOpen access

  Objective: To evaluate the different Dermoscopic patterns of onychomycosis. Study Design: Cross-sectional Study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Dermatology, PNS Shifa Hospital, Karachi Pakistan, from Aug 21 to Feb 22. Methodology: A total of 200 patients with clinically diagnosed onychomycosis were included in the study via a non-probability consecutive sampling technique. Onychoscopic examination was done with a handheld dermoscope (HEINE DELTA 20T DERMETOSCOPE) a ×10 magnification. All Onychoscopic patterns were identified, documented, and statistically analyzed using Mean, SD, frequency, and percentages. Results: Out of 200 cases, 72(36%) were men and 128(64%) were women with a ratio of 1:1.7. The Majority of patients were in an age range of 40–56 years, 100(50%) followed by 20–40 years 88(44%), and greater than 60 years 12(6%). The duration of signs of nail disease was between 2 months to 2 years. Distal and lateral subungual onychomycosis in 148(74%) patients was the most prevalent clinical condition, and most frequently seen clinical sign was discoloration of nail plates in 180(90%) patients. The common Onychoscopic patterns observed were spikes in 90(45%) patients, followed by distal irregular termination in 72(36%), jagged in 54(27%), longitudinal striae in 94(47%), and linear edge in 6(3%). No association was found between these patterns and age, duration of disease, gender, type of onychomycosis, and co-morbidities (p>0.05). Conclusion: Onychoscopy is a simple, non-invasive, quick, and affordable diagnostic procedure that can be used to identify minute nail alterations that are invisible to the unaided eye. It helps with early nail issue diagnosis so

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Tranexamic Acid Mesotherapy Versus Triple Combination Cream in Melasma

  Pakistan Armed Forces Medical Journal · 2025-07-31

  articleOpen access

  Objective: To compare the efficacy of Tranexamic acid mesotherapy versus combination of hydroquinone, tretinoin, and fluocinolone cream (Triple cream) for melasma. Study Design: Randomized controlled trial (Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials = 20210823052264N1) Place and Duration of Study: Department of Dermatology, PNS Shifa Hospital Karachi, Pakistan from Mar 2022 to Aug 2022. Methodology: A total of 58 patients were divided randomly into two groups, A (29 patients) and B (29 patients). Group A patients received sessions of intalesional tranexamic acid 50mg/ml every 2 weeks. Group B patients were treated once nightly with Triple combination cream. Total Period of treatment was for twelve weeks for each patient. Measurement of Melasma Area Severity Index (MASI) Scores for both groups were calculated at 0, 4, 8, and 12 weeks. Final response was labelled at 12 weeks by comparing mean MASI reduction in both groups. SPSS, version 28 was used for data analysis and p<0.05 was considered significant. Results: At the end of study comparison was made of Mean reduction of MASI Score for both groups, significant reduction was noted in mean score from 7.73±1.43 to 4.30±1.34 (44.37%) in group A Tranexamic acid as compared to decrease in scores in group B Triple combination cream from 7.90±1.11 to 5.20±1.39 (34.18%) p-value 0.081. Conclusion: Tranexamic acid mesotherapy can be safe, effective and promising treatment option for melasma. It leads to better results, and lesser side effects than topical triple cream.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• A comparison of <scp>MRI</scp> and intraoperative measurements to determine interspinous spacer device size

  Pain Practice · 2025-01-21 · 1 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  PURPOSE: To determine whether preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can reliably determine intraoperative measurements in the Vertiflex Interspinous Spacer (ISS) procedure. METHODS: Patients who underwent Vertiflex ISS with Lumbar Spinal Stenosis (LSS) and a preoperative MRI available in picture archiving and communication system (PACS) between January 2013 to February 2023 were identified retrospectively from the University of Chicago Medical Center Database. An experienced board-certified pain specialist and well-trained 2nd-year medical student independently performed measurements of the interspinous space where Vertiflex ISSs of various sizes are inserted. MRI measurements were taken blinded to intraoperative measurement and ISS implant size used in the procedure. Pearson's correlation, paired T-test, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), absolute agreement, and 2-way random effects model were used to determine the relationships between MRI, intraoperative measurement, and ISS size. RESULTS: A total of 79 patients who underwent the Vertiflex ISS procedure were included in the study. Median Vertiflex ISS size was 10 mm (10-12), mean intraoperative measurement was 11.40 mm (±1.23), and mean MRI measurement was 11.24 mm (±1.44). Mean differences were not significant in intraoperative and MRI measurements (p = 0.271). Pearson's correlation between ISS size and intraoperative measurement was 0.807 (p < 0.001), representing the current best practice model. Pearson's correlation was 0.668 (p < 0.001) between MRI measurement and ISS size and 0.542 (p < 0.001) between MRI and intraoperative measurement. ICC showed good agreement and moderate reliability (0.698) between intraoperative and MRI measurements. Observer interrater ICC agreement of the MRI interspinous space measurement was 0.95 (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Measuring interspinous space on MRI yielded, on average, a value smaller than the intraoperative measurement in Vertiflex ISS procedures, but the mean differences were not significant. Good agreement and moderate reliability were found between observer MRI and surgeon intraoperative measurements, suggesting MRI can evaluate the intraoperative space for the Vertiflex ISS procedure. Preoperative MRI measurement may help decrease complications by aiding in surgical decision-making through providing a reference for intraoperative measurements. Further prospective study is necessary to determine if preoperative MRI measurement can predict and potentially replace the need for intraoperative measurement.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Trichoscopy as a Useful Tool to Diagnose Telogen Effluvium

  Annals of PIMS-Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University · 2024-11-30

  articleOpen access

  Objective: To determine the efficacy of Trichoscopy in diagnosing telogen effluvium (TE) at a tertiary care Hospital. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Dermatology department, PNS Shifa Hospital, Karachi from December 2022 to May 2023. Overall 100 individuals with clinically confirmed telogen effluvium of either gender were included. Individuals with TE underwent trichoscopic imaging of the frontal, vertex, temporal, and occipital scalp using the HEINE DELTA 20T dermoscope without liquid media. High-resolution images and videos were captured and independently evaluated by two expert dermatologists to ensure diagnostic utility. The SPSS version 26 statistical analysis program was used for data entry and analysis. Results: The mean age of the patients was 32.7 ± 8.4 years, with mean disease duration of 4 ± 2 months. Among the 100 patients, 47 (47%) were men, and 53 (53%) were women. Perifollicular scaling (95%) was the most frequent trichoscopic finding in our study, followed by hair diameter diversity (48%), vellus hair (42%), perifollicular pigmentation (33%), and yellow spots and scalp discoloration (27%). Trichoscopic findings in telogen effluvium showed significant differences between frontal and occipital regions. Vellus hair, HDD, yellow dots, perifollicular pigmentation and Perifollicular scaling were significantly more common in the frontal area, while scalp discoloration was significantly higher in the occipital region (p=&lt;0.05). Conclusion: Trichoscopy has proven to be an effective, non-invasive diagnostic tool for identifying telogen effluvium. Comparing trichoscopic findings between the frontal and occipital regions helps differentiate telogen effluvium from androgenetic alopecia, enabling early and accurate diagnosis while minimizing the need for invasive procedures.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• List of contributors

  Elsevier eBooks · 2024-01-01

  book-chapter
  PublisherDOI

• Clinico-Dermoscopic Consensus in Patients of Scabies presenting in a Tertiary Care Hospital

  Pakistan Armed Forces Medical Journal · 2024-10-31

  articleOpen access

  Objective: To determine the concordance between clinical and dermoscopic findings in patients of scabies. Study Design: Cross-Sectional Study. Place and Duration of Study: Dermatology Department, PNS Shifa Hospital, Karachi Pakistan, from Jun 2022-Dec 2022. Methodology: All patients visiting Dermatology Outpatient during the study period with history of itching and age ranging from 18-50 years of either gender were included in this study after obtaining prior informed consent. Dermoscopic findings were recorded using HIEINE DELTA 20T dermoscope, captured at 10-16x magnification under standardized conditions of color and light, and stored using a 40-megapixel mobile camera for further investigation. Results: The age of patients ranged from 18 to 50 years with a median of 28.0(10.0). In the distribution of gender, 119(69.6%) were male while 52(30.4%) were female. Concordance between clinical and dermoscopic findings was noted in 91 patients (53.21%). Conclusion: Insignificant concordance was noted between clinical and dermoscopic findings among clinically suspicious patients of scabies.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Najia Ahmed

  Civil Hospital Karachi

  23 shared

• Syed Arbab Shah

  21 shared

• Unaiza Hasan

  Dar Al-Shifa Hospital

  20 shared

• Uroosa Subhan

  University of Health Science

  20 shared

• Alaa Abd‐Elsayed

  University of Wisconsin–Madison

  9 shared

• Arfan ul Bari

  Combined Military Hospital

  5 shared

• Eellan Sivanesan

  Johns Hopkins University

  4 shared

• Muhammad Farooq

  Kyungpook National University

  4 shared

Labs

• University of Chicago Department of Anesthesia and Critical CarePI