[A case of primary erythromelalgia (erythermalgia) treated with neural blockade]

A case of primary erythromelalgia which was treated successfully with lumbar sympathetic block and total spinal block (TSB) is reported. The patient was a 21-year-old woman with 18-year history of pain, burning, swelling, redness and warm sensation in both feet and lower part of the legs that caused the patient to soak her feet and legs frequently in ice cold water in order to obtain pain relief. The patient had been treated with a variety of medications including aspirin, indomethacin, methysergide maleate, and carbamazepine with no relief. Recently, the excessive exposure to cold water had caused extensive immersion foot (trench foot) with secondary infection (fusarium infection). Treatment with bilateral lumbar sympathetic block had markedly improved the symptom. Furthermore, treatment with TSB against causalgic state was performed 8 times for 4 months. During this period, the patient experienced the symptom which was much milder than those before treatment with TSB. Lumbar sympathetic block and TSB are useful methods for treatment of primary erythromelalgia.