2. HISTORY
Ambroise Pare 17th
century: “burning pain after nerve
injury”
Weir Mitchell 1872: “Causalgia”
a. burning pain
b. Allodynia
c. Autonomic Changes
Sudeck 1900: Regional demineralisation with post
traumatic pain
Evans 1946: “RSD”
International Association For Study of Pain:
“CRPS 1” = RSD
“ CRPS 2” = Causalgia
4. CRPS 1
1. Without nerve lesion
2. Burns, blunt trauma,
sprain, stroke, shingles
3. A/w: Anxiety disorder
Dependency,
insecurity
Personality disorders,
Sense of
Dissatisfaction
CRPS 2
1. With nerve lesion
2. Crush injury, laceration
5. IASP CRITERA
“Initiating Noxious Event:-External/Internal
Hyperalgesia, continuing pain, allodynia out
of proportion to the inciting event
e/o oedema, changes in skin blood flow or
abnormal sudomotor activity in region of pain
Absence of any alternative explanation for
the symptoms
+FOR CRPS II: Known nerve injury
6. PATHOLOGY
Poorly understood
Theories: CRPS 1:-
1. Ongoing nociceptor input that maintains a
central state of hyper excitability for
prolonged periods
2. Inflammatory cause: resembles it and
relieved by steroids
7. Sympathetically
maintained pain
Nociceptor input
maintained by ineracn
btw Primary afferents
and sympathetic
efferents through
alpha adrenergic
mechanism
Sympathetically
independent pain
Maintaining nociceptor
input comes from other
causes such as
peripheral nerve
stimulation
Eg: Neuroma
8. INJURY
REACTIVE VASOMOTOR SPASM
LOSS OF VASCULAR TONE
VASODILATION
BONE RESORBTION
DECREASED MOBILITY
DECREASED CIRCULATON
FIBROSIS/SHORTENING OF INVOLVED LIGAMENTS
9. SIGNS & SYMPTOMS
Pain
Vasomotor changes
Trophic changes
Within
3 weeks – 6 months
of original injury
12. 3 Patterns of spreading Symptoms
1. Continuous type
2. Mirror Image type
3. Independent type
13. STAGES
Based on severity and chronology
STAGE I. MILD
Days/wks after injury
Pain/swelling/dysfunction - localized
Exaggerated symptoms
Limb relatively immobile and sensitive
May last up to 3 months
15. STAGE III: ATROPHIC
Most severe
Symptoms near intolerance
Occurs > 1 year on
Dystrophic changes in skin, muscle and bone
UNRESPONSIVE TO Rx - PERMANENT
17. DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA BY
KOZEN
Persistent and
Diffuse pain
in the hand
Loss of
function of the
hand
Autonomic
Dysfunction
Relief by interruption
of Sympathetic reflex
18. RADIOGRAPHY
1/3rd
pts. Normal X ray picture
Osteopenia in affected limb
(after 2-4 weeks of symptoms)
Increased Power Doppler Flow in RSD of
Lower Extrimity
19. BONE SCAN / SCINTIGRAPHY
Preferred Diagnostic test
INCREASED UPTAKE—CRPS INDUCED
OSTEOPENIA
MacKinnon & Holder-
strictest criteria for diagnosis of RSD in hand
REQUIRED DIFFUSE INCREASE IN DELAYED
PERIARTICULAR UPTAKE IN ALL JOINTS OF
AFFECTED HAND
20. BEST DIAGNOSTIC &
PROGNOSTIC TEST
LA block of appropriate sympathetic ganglia
Novocain (5% Procaine hydrochloride) used as a
pharmacologic neural blocker
STELLATE GANGLION – UL
LUMBAR PARAVERTEBRAL GANGLIA – LL
Guanethadine: Initially symptoms increase then
decrease
Phentolamine test: Alpha adrenoceptors blocked
21. TREATMENT
Educate regarding therapeutic goals
Minimize pain
Physiotherapy
Determine contribution of SNS to the pain
22. Physiotherapy
Elevation, massage, contrast baths, stockings
AIM: improve jt. ROM & muscle strength
Acupuncture
TENS- 1. Non invasive 2. No side effects
23. Psychiatric treatment
Alternative treatments
a. Qi emission b. Qi instruction
Thermal biofeedback, Relaxation training,
supportive psychotherapy
24. PHARMACOLOGY
1. Corticosteroids :-
Prednisolone 30mg /day x 12 weeks
DECREASES: pain, edema, inflamn, ectopic
electrical activity after nerve injury
2. Bisphosphonates :-
7.5 mg/250 ml of saline daily x 3 days
INCREASES ROM
3. Mannitol 10%, 1000ml/24 hrs x 1 week
4. Dimethyl sulfoxide cream 50% on the skin
5. N-acetyl cysteine 600mg tid