Treatment of pain in Dercum's disease with Lidoderm (lidocaine 5% patch): a case report.
BACKGROUND
Dercum's disease is a rare disorder characterized by multiple painful subcutaneous lipomas on the trunk and extremities. It most commonly occurs in obese, postmenopausal women. The pain associated with this condition is postulated to arise from enlarging lipomas producing pressure on peripheral nerves, thereby initiating pain and sometimes paresthesias. Treatment has been challenging due to the rarity of this condition.


METHODS
A patient with Dercum's disease successfully treated with transdermal lidocaine 5% patches. The patient's pain was initially rated as an 8/10. At follow-up examination after 1 month, the patient rated her pain as 3/10--a >60% reduction in pain; this pain reduction persisted at subsequent 1-month follow-up intervals.


CONCLUSIONS
Current therapeutic options in the treatment of Dercum's disease have proven either ineffective or cumbersome. The use of transdermal lidocaine is a safe and non-invasive treatment modality that has been efficacious in alternate forms. The use of this medication might prove preferable to more invasive or risky treatment and warrants further investigation.
Desai
Mehul J
MJ
Department of Anesthesiology, Jefferson Pain Center, Jefferson Pain Center, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107, USA. mehul_25@yahoo.com
Siriki
Radhika
R
Wang
Dajie
D
D000274:Adiposis Dolorosa / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000779:Anesthetics, Local; C511998:Lidoderm; D008012:Lidocaine