scholarly journals Possible Therapeutic Options for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

Biomedicines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 596
Author(s):  
Myeounghoon Cha ◽  
Kyung Hee Lee ◽  
Minjee Kwon ◽  
Bae Hwan Lee
Keyword(s):  
Drug Treatment ◽  
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome ◽  
Pain Syndrome ◽  
Complete Recovery ◽  
Inflammatory Factors ◽  
Pyrrolidine Dithiocarbamate ◽  
Ischemic Pain ◽  
Trauma Research ◽  
Treatment Groups ◽  
Neural Imaging

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) describes an array of painful conditions that are characterized by continuing regional pain. CRPS comprises severe and inappropriate pain in cases of complete recovery after trauma. Research on the pharmacological treatment of CRPS, however, has not been well investigated. In this study, we compared the pain relief effects of different drugs (URB597, pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate, and hydralazine) in a rat model of chronic post-ischemic pain-induced CRPS. After drug injection, CRPS-induced mechanical allodynia was significantly recovered. After three repetitive drug injections, mechanical sensitivity generally improved as hyper-nociception subsided. Reduced Nav1.7 expression at dorsal root ganglions (DRGs) was observed in the drug treatment groups. Neural imaging analysis revealed decreased neural activity for each drug treatment, compared to vehicle. In addition, treatments significantly reduced IL-1β, IL-6, and TNFα expression in DRGs. These results indicated that drugs could reduce the expression of inflammatory factors and alleviate the symptoms of chronic post-ischemic pain-induced CRPS.

Complete Recovery From Intractable Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, CRPS-Type I, Following Anesthetic Ketamine and Midazolam

Pain Practice ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 147-150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ralph-Thomas Kiefer ◽  
Peter Rohr ◽  
Annette Ploppa ◽  
Karl-Heinz Altemeyer ◽  
Robert Jay Schwartzman
Keyword(s):  
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome ◽  
Pain Syndrome ◽  
Complete Recovery ◽  
Type I

Lumbar Sympathetic Plexus Radiofrequency Ablation for Chronic Non-Cancer Pain: A Brief Review and Two Case Reports

2020 ◽  
pp. 85-92
Author(s):  
Andrea Tinnirello
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome ◽  
Lower Limb ◽  
Case Reports ◽  
Pain Syndrome ◽  
Lower Limbs ◽  
Ischemic Pain ◽  
Sympathetically Maintained Pain ◽  
Ischemic Disease ◽  
Conventional Medical Therapy

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

A Historical Review of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome in the “Guides Library”

2009 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Robert J. Barth
Keyword(s):  
Differential Diagnosis ◽  
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome ◽  
Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy ◽  
International Association ◽  
Historical Review ◽  
Pain Syndrome ◽  
Sixth Edition

Abstract Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a controversial, ambiguous, unreliable, and unvalidated concept that, for these very reasons, has been justifiably ignored in the “AMA Guides Library” that includes the AMAGuides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment (AMA Guides), the AMA Guides Newsletter, and other publications in this suite. But because of the surge of CRPS-related medicolegal claims and the mission of the AMA Guides to assist those who adjudicate such claims, a discussion of CRPS is warranted, especially because of what some believe to be confusing recommendations regarding causation. In 1994, the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) introduced a newly invented concept, CRPS, to replace the concepts of reflex sympathetic dystrophy (replaced by CRPS I) and causalgia (replaced by CRPS II). An article in the November/December 1997 issue of The Guides Newsletter introduced CRPS and presciently recommended that evaluators avoid the IASP protocol in favor of extensive differential diagnosis based on objective findings. A series of articles in The Guides Newsletter in 2006 extensively discussed the shortcomings of CRPS. The AMA Guides, Sixth Edition, notes that the inherent lack of injury-relatedness for the nonvalidated concept of CRPS creates a dilemma for impairment evaluators. Focusing on impairment evaluation and not on injury-relatedness would greatly simplify use of the AMA Guides.

Peripheral Nerve and Brachial Plexus Impairment, AMA Guides, Sixth Edition

2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 3-5
Author(s):  
James B. Talmage ◽  
Jay Blaisdell
Keyword(s):  
Peripheral Nerve ◽  
Brachial Plexus ◽  
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome ◽  
Lower Extremities ◽  
Pain Syndrome ◽  
Upper Extremities ◽  
Motor Deficits ◽  
Type I ◽  
Sixth Edition ◽  
Nerve Entrapments

Abstract Physicians use a variety of methodologies within the AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment (AMA Guides), Sixth Edition, to rate nerve injuries depending on the type of injury and location of the nerve. Traumatic injuries that cause impairment to the peripheral or brachial plexus nerves are rated using Section 15.4e, Peripheral Nerve and Brachial Plexus Impairment, for upper extremities and Section 16.4c, Peripheral Nerve Rating Process, for lower extremities. Verifiable nerve lesions that incite the symptoms of complex regional pain syndrome, type II (similar to the former concept of causalgia), also are rated in these sections. Nerve entrapments, which are not isolated traumatic events, are rated using the methodology in Section 15.4f, Entrapment Neuropathy. Type I complex regional pain syndrome is rated using Section 15.5, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome for upper extremities or Section 16.5, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome for lower extremities. The method for grading the sensory and motor deficits is analogous to the method described in previous editions of AMA Guides. Rating the permanent impairment of the peripheral nerves or brachial plexus is similar to the methodology used in the diagnosis-based impairment scheme with the exceptions that the physical examination grade modifier is never used to adjust the default rating and the names of individual nerves or plexus trunks, as opposed to the names of diagnoses, appear in the far left column of the rating grids.

Challenges in the Diagnostic Conceptualization of CRPS-1 (Formerly Conceptualized as RSD)

2006 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-3, 9-12
Author(s):  
Robert J. Barth ◽  
Tom W. Bohr
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome ◽  
Somatoform Disorders ◽  
International Association ◽  
Pain Syndrome ◽  
Somatoform Disorder ◽  
Syndrome Type ◽  
Previous Issue

Abstract From the previous issue, this article continues a discussion of the potentially confusing aspects of the diagnostic formulation for complex regional pain syndrome type 1 (CRPS-1) proposed by the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP), the relevance of these issues for a proposed future protocol, and recommendations for clinical practice. IASP is working to resolve the contradictions in its approach to CRPS-1 diagnosis, but it continues to include the following criterion: “[c]ontinuing pain, which is disproportionate to any inciting event.” This language only perpetuates existing issues with current definitions, specifically the overlap between the IASP criteria for CRPS-1 and somatoform disorders, overlap with the guidelines for malingering, and self-contradiction with respect to the suggestion of injury-relatedness. The authors propose to overcome the last of these by revising the criterion: “[c]omplaints of pain in the absence of any identifiable injury that could credibly account for the complaints.” Similarly, the overlap with somatoform disorders could be reworded: “The possibility of a somatoform disorder has been thoroughly assessed, with the results of that assessment failing to produce any consistencies with a somatoform scenario.” The overlap with malingering could be addressed in this manner: “The possibility of malingering has been thoroughly assessed, with the results of that assessment failing to produce any consistencies with a malingering scenario.” The article concludes with six recommendations, and a sidebar discusses rating impairment for CRPS-1 (with explicit instructions not to use the pain chapter for this purpose).

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