Cryocautery of sensitized skin areas for the relief of pain due to post-herpetic neuralgia.
Fourteen patients whose post-herpetic neuralgia could not be alleviated by conventional methods were treated with cryocautery using a stick of solid carbon dioxide (dry ice) applied directly to the hyperesthetic skin areas of the cutaneous scars. Follow-up evaluation revealed that 5 of 14 subjects maintained excellent pain relief and another 5 subjects showed good relief. Ten subjects discontinued further therapeutic procedures after cryocautery even though some low grade pain persisted. We believe that cryocautery of localized skin areas is a valuable method for treating patients with post-herpetic neuralgia who have not been improved by conventional methods. Disadvantages of this procedure are discussed.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003452:Cryosurgery / Q000379:methods*; D004367:Dry Ice / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*
D004367:Dry Ice