Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 22, 2026
Subcutaneous Trigeminal Nerve Field Stimulation for Refractory Facial Pain
Published on: May 10, 2017
Dermatologic manifestations of complex regional pain syndrome improved after dorsal root ganglion stimulation
Stephen Jaffee1, Trent Shane Kite1, Samuel Valletta1
1Department of Neurosurgery, Allegheny Health Network, Pittsburgh, PA, United States.
Background:
Complex regional pain syndrome is a condition that causes autonomic dysfunction, including severe pain, swelling, temperature fluctuations, and cutaneous flushing.
Case Description:
The patient was a 38-year-old woman with complex regional pain syndrome type I of the right foot that developed after a work-related accident. At the time of presentation, she complained of a stabbing and burning pain, which subjectively felt like extreme warmth for 6 weeks. On physical examination, she presented with diffuse cutaneous flushing, erythema, nonpitting edema, skin mottling of the medial aspect of the right foot and ankle, a purple macule on the right inferomedial aspect of the great toe, and a purple patch on the inferomedial aspect of the heel. The patient underwent right-sided L5/S1 open dorsal root ganglion (DRG) stimulation under the care of neurological surgery. Postprocedurally, the cutaneous flushing, erythema, edema, mottling, purple macule, and patch had completely resolved. At the 1-year postoperative appointment, the patient continued to have a significant improvement in her preoperative pain and notably improved allodynia, flushing, mottling, and temperature sensitivity.
Conclusion:
We have described the successful resolution of complex regional pain syndrome associated dermatologic manifestations in the setting of DRG stimulation. To our knowledge, a case of this nature has yet to be described in the literature.
