Pain control in chronic, refractory CRPS by continuous brachial plexus analgesia

We report on the outcomes of treatment for severe pain associated with long-standing, refractory CRPS in 10 female patients by continuous brachial plexus analgesia. The duration of the disease prior to treatment was 3.5 years on average, and mean baseline pain intensity was 8.3 on a numeric analogue scale (NRS). All patients met the Budapest criteria for the diagnosis of CRPS. A spinal catheter was implanted into the brachial plexus via an open axillary approach.

Each patient underwent a mean of 4.4 (range 2-8) spinal catheter implantations. A rapid and strong analgesic effect was observed immediately after the injection of bupivacaine solution was started: Pain decreased from a mean of 8.3 to 1.6. The duration of maintaining the catheter in the brachial plexus and achieving effective analgesia was 5.3 months (range 2-12). After the removal of the catheter, the pain returned to baseline. No patient achieved a permanent, or at least partial, reduction of pain after completing this therapy.