Ketamine Infusions for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roy K. Esaki

Ketamine is an N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist that has been increasingly used in the management of treatment-resistant chronic pain conditions, particularly representing neuropathic involvement or central sensitization. Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a prototypical condition often treated with ketamine infusions. Although the analgesic benefits of ketamine as an opioid-sparing adjunct in the preoperative period have been well studied, the use of ketamine to mitigate chronic pain conditions remains largely anecdotal, composed largely of case reports and uncontrolled small studies. The limited evidence and published reports support the use of ketamine infusions as one aspect of a comprehensive, multimodal approach for CRPS. Although ketamine infusions are relatively safe when titrated appropriately, with minimal respiratory depression, side effects include sympathetic activation, unpleasant psychomimetic effects, lower urinary tract symptoms, and hepatic dysfunction. 

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Subbulakshmi Sundaram ◽  
Ashok Swaminathan Govindarajan

Chronic pain is one of the leading causes of years lost to disability, as most of the time it is refractory to conventional treatment. Recent advances in understanding the pain mechanisms have favored the use of ketamine as a rescue agent in refractory chronic pain conditions, as it has potential modulating effect on both sensory-discriminative and affective motivational components of pain. Preclinical studies also suggested the antinociceptive effect of sub anesthetic dose of ketamine against central and peripheral neuropathic pain conditions and non-neuropathic pain conditions such as inflammatory and nociceptive pain states. Subanesthetic infusion of ketamine along with adjuvants such as midazolam and clonidine is found to reduce the psychomimetic and cardiovascular side effects of ketamine. Even though the consensus guidelines for intravenous use of ketamine for chronic pain advocate the use of ketamine only for complex regional pain syndrome, various other clinical studies suggested its role in other refractory painful conditions. Hence the present topic focuses specifically on the effect of ketamine on non-neuropathic pain conditions such as complex regional pain syndrome, fibromyalgia, headache, ischemic limb pain, etc. Many studies had shown that ketamine not only reduces the pain scores but also the analgesic medications, which further improves the well-being and quality of life.


2020 ◽  
pp. 85-92
Author(s):  
Andrea Tinnirello

Background: Lumbar sympathetic plexus (LSP) has been described as a target for managing chronic pain with a sympathetic component in the lower limbs such as complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) or pain of ischemic origin. LSP neurolysis with phenol or ethanol has been applied; more recently, radiofrequency (RF) lesioning has been proposed as an alternative. RF denervation has the advantage of avoiding the complications associated with ethanol/phenol spread. Case Report: We describe 2 cases in which RF denervation of LSP was performed in patients suffering from chronic pain from CRPS and chronic ischemic disease of the lower limb. Conclusion: RF denervation of LSP could be considered as a treatment for CRPS and chronic ischemic pain when conventional medical therapy fails. Compared to chemical neurolysis, RF denervation carries less risk for postprocedural deafferentation pain. Key words: Complex regional pain syndrome; ischemic pain; lumbar sympathetic plexus; neurolysis; radiofrequency; sympathetically maintained pain


2017 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 104-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harald Breivik ◽  
Stephen Butler

AbstractIn this issue of the Scandinavian Journal of Pain Kari Sørensen and Bjørg Christiansen publish their report on in depth interviews of young patients suffering from CRPS or from severe muscle pain [1]. These patients were recovering from their chronic pain conditions after treatment by a multidisciplinary rehabilitation team.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monika Halicka ◽  
Axel D. Vittersø ◽  
Michael J. Proulx ◽  
Janet H. Bultitude

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is a poorly understood chronic pain condition of multifactorial origin. CRPS involves sensory, motor, and autonomic symptoms primarily affecting one extremity. Patients can also present with neuropsychological changes such as reduced attention to the CRPS-affected extremity, reminiscent of hemispatial neglect, yet in the absence of any brain lesions. However, this “neglect-like” framework is not sufficient to characterise the range of higher cognitive functions that can be altered in CRPS. This comprehensive literature review synthesises evidence of neuropsychological changes in CRPS in the context of potential central mechanisms of the disorder. The affected neuropsychological functions constitute three distinct but not independent groups: distorted body representation, deficits in lateralised spatial cognition, and impairment of non-spatially-lateralised higher cognitive functions. We suggest that many of these symptoms appear to be consistent with a broader disruption to parietal function beyond merely what could be considered “neglect-like.” Moreover, the extent of neuropsychological symptoms might be related to the clinical signs of CRPS, and rehabilitation methods that target the neuropsychological changes can improve clinical outcomes in CRPS and other chronic pain conditions. Based on the limitations and gaps in the reviewed literature, we provide several suggestions to improve further research on neuropsychological changes in chronic pain.


Author(s):  
Gavin Clunie ◽  
Nick Wilkinson ◽  
Elena Nikiphorou ◽  
Deepak R. Jadon

The Oxford Handbook of Rheumatology 4th edition, has been extensively updated to thoroughly review aspects of musculoskeletal pain. Pain pathophysiology is reviewed. Chronic pain and fibromyalgia in adults and in children and adolescents is dealt with in detail. The reader is advised to cross reference from this chapter to Chapters 1–3 in the Handbook, where regional musculoskeletal pain conditions are listed and reviewed. In localized pain syndromes, the chapter has an overview of complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), which is not infrequently encountered in rheumatology and musculoskeletal clinics. Included in detail for this edition, is the assessment and management of pain in children, which is a highly specialized clinical area of medicine and will be of use to the adult rheumatologist and general practitioner as well as paediatric specialists. Readers should cross reference to Chapter 23 on medications, for ‘pain medications’ in the Handbook


PM&R ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. S265-S265
Author(s):  
Ian D. Dworkin ◽  
Edward K. Pang ◽  
Milena D. Zirovich ◽  
Sanjog S. Pangarkar

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