Sympathetic dysfunction in patients with persistent pain after prolapsed disc surgery. A thermographic study

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Vascular Medicine
• Surgical Outcomes

Background:

• Post-surgical residual complaints after prolapsed intervertebral disc (PID) surgery can impact quality of life.
• Understanding the underlying pathophysiology, such as vasomotor dysfunction, is crucial for effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate vasomotor function in the lower limbs of patients following PID surgery.
• To determine the correlation between residual complaints and objective measures of vascular response.

Main Methods:

• Utilized infrared thermography to assess lower limb vasomotor function.
• Studied a cohort of 48 patients, comparing those with and without residual complaints post-PID surgery.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated a clear correlation between the severity of patients' residual complaints and their thermographic responses.
• Thermographic findings provide evidence supporting the presence of sympathetic reflex dystrophy in the legs.

Conclusions:

• Thermography is a valuable tool for evaluating lower limb vasomotor function after PID surgery.
• The study suggests that causalgia, a form of sympathetic reflex dystrophy, may underlie some residual complaints post-PID surgery.