BACKGROUND: There are limited therapeutic options to treat complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). Spinal cord stimulation and dorsal root ganglion stimulation are proven therapies for treating chronic low limb pain in CRPS patients. There is limited evidence that stimulation of dorsal nerve roots can also provide relief of lower limb pain in these patients.
OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate that electrical stimulation of dorsal nerve roots via epidural lead placement provides relief of chronic lower limb pain in patients suffering from CRPS.
METHODS: Prospective, open label, single arm, multi-center study.
METHODS: The study was performed at the Center for Interventional Pain and Spine (Exton, PA), Millennium Pain Center (Bloomington, IL), and the Carolinas Pain Center (Huntersville, NC). It was approved by the Western Institutional Review Board-Copernicus Group Institutional Review Board and is registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03954080).
METHODS: Sixteen patients with intractable chronic severe lower limb pain associated with CRPS were enrolled in the study. A standard trial period to evaluate a patients\' response to stimulation of the dorsal nerve roots was conducted over 3 to 10-days. Patients that obtained 50% or greater pain relief during the trial period underwent permanent implantation of a neurostimulation system. The primary outcome was the evaluated pain level after 3 months of device activation, based on NRS pain score relative to baseline. Patients were followed up for 6 months after activation of the permanently implanted system.
RESULTS: At the primary endpoint, patients reported a significant (P = 0.0006) reduction in pain of 3.3 points, improvement in quality of life, improved neuropathic pain characteristics, improved satisfaction, and an overall perception of improvement with the therapy. Improvements were sustained throughout the duration of the study up to the final 6-month visit.
CONCLUSIONS: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic occurring during patient enrollment, only 16 patients were enrolled and trialed, with 12 being permanently implanted. Nine were able to complete the end of study evaluation at 6 months.
CONCLUSIONS: The results of this short feasibility study confirm the functionality, effectiveness, and safety of intraspinal stimulation of dorsal nerve roots in patients with intractable chronic lower limb pain due to CRPS using commercially approved systems and conventional parameters.

This study explores the impact of the complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) on the lives and mobility of patients, with a particular focus on its emergence as a late complication of distal radius fractures (DRFs), a common occurrence, especially among an aging population. The absence of a standardized treatment for the CRPS and the challenge of predicting its occurrence make it a complex medical issue. This research aims to shed light on the effects of treating the CRPS through a case study involving a 75-year-old woman with untreated osteoporosis who experienced a Colles fracture after a fall. The initial management involved repositioning and stabilizing the fractured forearm with a plaster cast, followed by an operation using percutaneous pinning via a Kirschner wire. Subsequently, the patient developed CRPS symptoms and was admitted to the rehabilitation department three months post-fracture. The affected forearm exhibited swelling, warmth, pain, and severely limited range of motion. Treatment involved a combination of medications, physiotherapy, and kinesiotherapy. Significantly, the patient experienced notable improvement following these interventions. This study underscores the absence of a definitive standard for CRPS treatment but suggests that proper rehabilitation and pharmaceutical interventions can contribute positively to patient outcomes. The case further highlights the potential association between DRF and CRPS development, emphasizing the need for continued research in this field.

UNASSIGNED: Complex regional pain syndrome is a rare and chronic pain disorder characterized by an abnormal level of pain disproportionate to the initiating cause, often manifesting well after the triggering event.
UNASSIGNED: The authors present a free past medical history 33-year-old female, employed as a nurse in an intensive care unit, presented with a 9-year history of diffuse back pain. Her symptoms initially emerged at the neck with muscle spasms and restricted neck mobility, eventually progressing along the spine. Notably, the pain became episodic and intensified over time, significantly impeding her daily activities. Analgesic (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) treatments proved ineffective, and a distinct feature emerged-a change in skin colour to dark purple spots on her back, accompanied by hyperhidrosis and extreme tenderness. Despite an exhaustive evaluation involving bloodwork, inflammatory markers, serological tests, and radiographic imaging, a definitive diagnosis remained elusive until she responded positively to Pregabilin.
UNASSIGNED: Although typically associated with extremities, this case challenges the conventional understanding of complex regional pain syndrome by showcasing its manifestation in the truncal region. The patient\'s clinical history, examination findings, and diagnostic journey are detailed herein, shedding light on the complexity and diagnostic considerations associated with this condition.
UNASSIGNED: The case underscores the importance of a comprehensive approach and prompts a reevaluation of the existing guidelines to encompass such atypical presentations.

BACKGROUND: Complex regional pain syndrome is a neuropathic pain disorder associated with ongoing pain that persists beyond the usual expected tissue healing time and that is disproportionate to the degree of tissue injury present. Complex regional pain syndrome after hip arthroscopy has not been reported before. Hip arthroscopy is a fast-growing domain that could lead to an increasing number of complex regional pain syndrome cases, probably owing to the high traction forces that are necessary.
METHODS: We report the case of a 30-year-old German female semiprofessional tennis player who presented with complex regional pain syndrome type I in the lower leg 3 weeks after hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement syndrome with suture anchor labral repair and femoroplasty. After 2 months of immediate multimodal conservative therapy including administration of gabapentin, prompt full weight-bearing, and intensified physiotherapy, complete recovery was achieved.
CONCLUSIONS: Complex regional pain syndrome does occur after elective hip arthroscopy. Disproportionate postoperative pain or other symptoms raising suspicion of complex regional pain syndrome should be promptly evaluated and treated through a multimodal approach. Postless hip arthroscopy may be advantageous.

UNASSIGNED: Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is characterized by extreme pain in a limb disproportional to the clinical history or physical findings accompanied by the signs of autonomic dysfunction. The pathophysiology of CRPS is obscure, making it challenging to treat. Treatment options include medications, physical therapy, and psychological support. In some cases, surgery or other minimally-invasive procedures such as nerve blocks may be recommended, while several novel treatments, such as ozone therapy, lack sufficient clinical evidence.
UNASSIGNED: A 40-year-old man with CRPS was referred to our clinic with pain in his right arm and left lower leg. The patient had a history of trauma to the ulnar nerve and had undergone a sural to ulnar nerve autograft surgery. After the surgery, the patient\'s symptoms began, primarily in the right arm. Despite receiving conventional drugs, multiple nerve blocks, and lidocaine patches, the patient\'s symptoms persisted. In addition, we tried medical ozone for 14 sessions along with ketamine infusion, but these treatments were also ineffective.
UNASSIGNED: We emphasize the importance of studying and developing more effective treatments for CRPS and suggest that further randomized clinical trials are needed to determine whether ozone therapy is effective for patients with severe, intractable CRPS symptoms.

BACKGROUND: Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is an extremely painful disorder driven primarily by inflammation.
OBJECTIVE: We hypothesized that the immunomodulatory biologic, ExoFloTM, composed of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles, could be safely administered to CRPS patients and alleviate symptoms.
METHODS: Ten patients received 2 intravenous (IV) infusions, each containing 15 mL ExoFlo, on day one and day 4. A series of tests were performed at baseline (day 0, prior to infusion), week one, and months one, 3, and 6 after the second infusion.
METHODS: All patients were treated in one of 2 outpatient pain management clinics in Orange County, CA.
METHODS: Testing for clinical improvement included: visual analog scale of pain, brief pain inventory, 36-item short-form questionnaire, range of motion analysis, and jamar dynamometer testing.
RESULTS: No serious adverse events related to ExoFlo treatment occurred. Statistically significant improvements in pain and motion assessments occurred across the patient pool.
CONCLUSIONS: This study was limited by its patient number enrolled (10), it lacked a control arm, and one patient who dropped out of the study.
CONCLUSIONS: IV delivery of ExoFlo appears safe in patients with CRPS. In addition, ExoFlo exhibited efficacy in addressing CRPS symptoms. Given the lack of effective and safe treatments available to CRPS patients, these results suggest that further studies are warranted to explore and validate this potential treatment for CRPS.

The purpose of this study was to clarify the difference in onset timing and incidence of undiagnosed finger symptom (UDFS) between various shoulder surgical procedures. In this study, UDFS symptoms included the following four symptoms in the fingers;edema, limited range-of-motion, skin color changes, and abnormal sensations. UDFS cases were defined as those presenting with at least one UDFS. In result, the incidence rate of UDFS cases was 7.1% overall (58/816 shoulders), 7.4% (32/432) in arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR), 9.0% (11/122) in open rotator cuff repair (ORCR), 1.4% (2/145) in arthroscopic subacromial decompression (ASD), 13.2% (5/38) in open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF), 11.1% (3/27) in humeral head replacement, 4.8% (1/21) in anatomical total shoulder arthroplasty, and 12.9% (4/31) in reverse total shoulder arthroplasty cases. The Rate was significantly higher with ARCR compared to ASD (p<.01). About onset timing in weeks postoperatively, the ORIF group had a statistically earlier symptom onset than the Rotator cuff repair (ARCR + ORCR) group (2.4 weeks vs. 6.0 weeks, p<.01). When classifying the onset timing into before and after the removal of the abduction pillow, the ORIF group showed a statistically higher rate of onset before brace removal than the Rotator cuff repair groups (p<.01). Differences in UDFS among shoulder surgeries were demonstrated in this study. J. Med. Invest. 70 : 415-422, August, 2023.

Brachial plexus injury (BPI) occurs commonly in young adults following trauma. This may result in the development of complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) following injury, which is difficult to treat. We present a group of patients with CRPS secondary to BPI. These patients were managed with neuromodulation of the stellate ganglion (SG) with pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) and followed up for a period of 3 months to assess for pain relief and a decrease in the intake of medications after the intervention. PRF to SG was found to have significant pain relief lasting around three months.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the characteristics and clinical application of ultrasonic elastography in peripheral soft tissue in patients with poststroke complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS).
BACKGROUND: Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) type I is also known as shoulder hand syndrome (SHS). Its main symptoms include shoulder pain, limited activity, upper arm, wrist, and knuckle joint pain. Ultrasonic elastic imaging technology is gradually being applied to musculoskeletal system evaluation, primarily for the elastic examination of superficial tissue, as a result of the continual advancements in ultrasound technology. To make up for the absence of conventional imaging, functional state evaluation of the motor system can offer conventional ultrasonic tissue elasticity and hardness data.
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to objectively quantify the soft tissue surrounding the shoulder joint of stroke patients with CRPS using ultrasonic elastic imaging and to determine the diagnostic usefulness of ultrasonic elastic imaging for CRPS in stroke in order to promote its usage in clinical practice.
METHODS: Patients diagnosed with CRPS following a stroke and admitted to the rehabilitation unit at Shanxi Bethune Hospital between January, 2021 to June, 2021 were included in the analysis. The control group consisted of people without pain in their shoulder joints. Each group consisted of 30 patients. A high-frequency wire array probe (frequency = 8-16 Hz) was employed in conjunction with an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. A quantitative analytic system determined Young\'s modulus of the tissue, while the tracking of the shear wave provided an elastin map in real-time. An excitation pulse of acoustic radiation force was used to cause shear waves in the tissue.
RESULTS: The Young\'s modulus of supraspinatus muscle in the study and control groups was 289.16±22.07 Kpa and 231.99±23.61 Kpa, respectively (P <0.01). Young\'s modulus values of the study group\'s subscapular biceps were compared to those of the control group (P > 0.05). The supraspinatus shear wave elastographic (SWE) imaging value was 10.01±0.49 m/s in the study group and 7.92±0.50 in the control group (P <0.05). The study and control groups had subscapular muscle SWE values of 15.99±1.95 and 8.64±0.56 m/s, respectively (P <0.05). The average biceps tendon SWE value in the study and control groups was 6.39±0.42 and 4.69±0.36 m/s, respectively (P <0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the SWE assessed by ultrasound elastography is useful for early diagnosis and evaluation of the superior shoulder tendon, subscapular tendon, and biceps tendon of CRPS following stroke.

UNASSIGNED: Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a chronic pain condition that is notoriously difficult to treat. Therapies for CRPS include cognitive behavioral, physical, and occupational therapy, single or multidrug pharmacotherapy, and a variety of interventional techniques. Unfortunately, randomized clinical trials of these therapies are limited. The large number of potential pharmacologic options can be overwhelming for providers in their attempts to develop a treatment plan.
UNASSIGNED: This article will review the literature on the pharmacologic management of CRPS. It is based on a systematic search of PubMed using keywords, followed by evaluation of the bibliographies for relevant articles.
UNASSIGNED: No single drug has amassed enough evidence to suggest clear efficacy, but a handful of agents with at least modest evidence are commonly used, including gabapentinoids, bisphosphonates, ketamine, and pulsed dose steroids. Meanwhile, other agents that lack significant evidence specifically in CRPS but have evidence in other neuropathic conditions are commonly prescribed, including tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). In our opinion, careful selection and prompt initiation of appropriate pharmacotherapy may optimize pain relief and improve functionality in patients burdened with this debilitating condition.