Successful treatment of phantom pain with dorsal root entry zone coagulation.
We studied 22 patients with amputation due to trauma, gangrene, or cancer. All developed postamputation pain, underwent a dorsal root entry zone (DREZ) procedure, and were followed from 6 months to 4 years after surgery. Overall, only 8 (36%) of these 22 patients had pain relief. However, good results were obtained in 6 (67%) of 9 patients with phantom pain alone, and in 5 (83%) of 6 patients with traumatic amputations associated with root avulsion. Poor results were obtained in patients with both phantom and stump pain, or stump pain alone. The DREZ procedure has a well-defined, but limited role in the treatment of postamputation pain.
Saris
S C
SC
Surgical Neurology Branch, National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, Md.
Iacono
R P
RP
Nashold
B S
BS
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D010591:Phantom Limb / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013126:Spinal Nerve Roots / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*