Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 14, 2026
07:12
Chronic Post-Ischemia Pain Model for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type-I in Rats
Published on: January 21, 2020
Complex regional pain syndrome: a review
1Cheltenham General Hospital, Cheltenham, UK. jeremy.field@glos.nhs.uk
The Journal of Hand Surgery, European Volume
|January 24, 2013
Summary
Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), previously reflex sympathetic dystrophy, causes severe pain and swelling after injury. Recent advances offer new insights into its causes, classification, and treatment strategies.
Area of Science:
- Pain Medicine
- Neurology
- Rehabilitation Medicine
Background:
- Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), also known as reflex sympathetic dystrophy, is a poorly understood condition.
- It typically manifests in the peripheries, often following trauma, with pain disproportionate to the injury.
- Associated symptoms include joint stiffness, altered temperature and color, and swelling.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advances in understanding the etiology, classification, and treatment of CRPS.
- To highlight the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges posed by this condition.
- To emphasize the necessity of a multidisciplinary approach for managing CRPS.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of recent advances in CRPS research.
- Analysis of current understanding of CRPS etiology and classification.
- Evaluation of contemporary treatment strategies, including physiotherapy and pain management.
Main Results:
- CRPS diagnosis and treatment remain challenging for clinicians.
- A multidisciplinary approach involving physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and pain teams is often required.
- The hand surgeon plays a role due to the high frequency of upper limb involvement and its potential as a postsurgical complication.
Conclusions:
- Recent advances have improved knowledge of CRPS etiology, classification, and treatment.
- Effective management necessitates a comprehensive, multidisciplinary strategy.
- Further research is crucial for a deeper understanding and improved outcomes for patients with CRPS.
Related Concept Videos
01:12Regional Terms
Regional terms describe anatomy by dividing the body parts into different regions that contain structures involved in contributing similar functions. Using these terms helps increase the accurate description and identification of the particular region of interest or region affected by the disease.
Primarily, the human body has two major regions, the axial and appendicular regions. The axial region comprises regions from the head to the abdomen and makes up the central body axis. In contrast,...
Primarily, the human body has two major regions, the axial and appendicular regions. The axial region comprises regions from the head to the abdomen and makes up the central body axis. In contrast,...
01:25Analgesia and Pain Management
Pain is critical to various clinical pathologies, provoking an urgent need for effective management. Pain, whether acute or chronic, is a complex neurochemical process. Its alleviation depends on the type, with nonopioid analgesics effective for mild to moderate pain, such as musculoskeletal or inflammatory pain, while neuropathic pain responds best to anticonvulsants, tricyclic antidepressants, or serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. For severe acute or chronic pain, opioids may be...
01:25Acute Inflammation III: Local and Systemic Effects
Acute inflammation produces a coordinated set of local and systemic changes that limit injury, eliminate pathogens, and initiate repair. These responses arise within minutes of infection, trauma, or chemical insult and are driven by vascular alterations and leukocyte-derived mediators. When the stimulus resolves, the reaction typically abates within days.Local EffectsAt the site of injury, arteriolar vasodilation increases blood flow, resulting in redness and warmth. Simultaneously, increased...
01:16Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Intravenous Regional Anesthesia
Intravenous regional anesthesia or the Bier block technique is used to anesthetize a specific limb or extremity. It uses exsanguinated or blood-drained vessels to transport local anesthetics or LAs to the peripheral nerve trunks. Lidocaine without vasoconstrictors like epinephrine is most commonly used for this technique. Other drugs used are prilocaine, ropivacaine, and chloroprocaine. Bupivacaine is not recommended for this technique due to its high cardiac toxicity.
One of the advantages of...
One of the advantages of...
01:20Pain
Pain serves as a critical warning signal that alerts the body to potential or actual harm. When mechanical pressure on the skin is intense, such as from a sharp pinch, the sensation transitions from touch to pain. Similarly, extreme temperatures, like a hot pot handle, convert the sensation of heat into pain. Pain can also result from overstimulation of other senses, such as blinding light, loud noise, or the intense heat from habañero peppers. This ability to sense pain is essential for...
01:24Local Anesthetics: Differential Sensitivity of Nerve Fibers
Local anesthetics (LAs) block the sodium channels of nerve trunks, sensory nerve endings, and neuromuscular junctions. Although LAs can block all kinds of nerves, the sensitivity of nerve fibers differs according to nerve types and structures. LAs are known to block myelinated fibers faster than unmyelinated ones. Also, they block pain or sensory neurons at low concentrations without affecting the motor neurons involved in muscle contractions. This helps relieve labor pain without affecting the...