Complex regional pain syndrome type I: efficacy of stellate ganglion blockade.
BACKGROUND
This study was performed to evaluate the treatment of complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) type I with stellate ganglion blockade.


METHODS
We performed three blockades at weekly intervals in 22 patients with CRPS type I in one hand. The patients were divided into two groups depending on the time between symptom onset and treatment initiation. Group 1and 2 patients had short and long symptom-onset-to-treatment intervals, respectively. Pain intensity, using a visual analog score (VAS), and range of motion (ROM) for the wrist joint were assessed before and 2 weeks after treatment and were compared using nonparametric statistical analysis.


RESULTS
Treatment produced a statistically significant difference in wrist ROM for all patients (P < 0.001). VAS values showed an overall decrease from 8 +/- 1 to 1 +/- 1 following treatment, and there was a significant difference in VAS value between groups 1 and 2 (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
We concluded that stellate ganglion blockade successfully decreased VAS and increased ROM of wrist joints in patients with CRPS type I. Further, the duration between symptom onset and therapy initiation was a major factor affecting blockade success.
Yucel
Istemi
I
Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, University of Duzce, Duzce, Turkey. istemiyucel@yahoo.com
Demiraran
Yavuz
Y
Ozturan
Kutay
K
Degirmenci
Erdem
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002045:Bupivacaine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009407:Nerve Block / Q000379:methods*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011318:Prilocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012019:Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013233:Stellate Ganglion / Q000187:drug effects*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014955:Wrist Joint / Q000294:innervation
D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D011318:Prilocaine; D002045:Bupivacaine