Abstract

RODRIGUEZ, R. F. et al. Study of the analgesic efficacy of stellate ganglion blockade in the management of the complex regional pain syndrome in patients with pain mediated by sympathetic nervous system: preliminary study. Rev. Soc. Esp. Dolor [online]. 2006, vol.13, n.4, pp.230-237. ISSN 1134-8046.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the analgesic efficacy of stellate ganglion blockade in pain mediated by the sympathetic nervous system in patients with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). Patients and methods: A randomized, simple-blinded controlled clinical trial was conducted. Thirty nine patients were randomly assigned to an intervention group which was treated with a series of stellate ganglion blockades, physical therapy and pharmacological treatment, and thirty two to a control group which was treated with physical therapy and the same pharmacological treatment. Risk ratio was used to evaluate outcome and determine association with predictor variables. Results: At the end of the first month post treatment, it was found that 84.6% of patients in the intervention group had alleviation of their pain while 78.1% of the control group had alleviation of their pain; there was not a statistically significant difference (RR=1.08; C.I. 95%=0.8-1.4; p=0.48). We found no association between analgesic efficacy, smoking, dominance, gender, and type of CRPS, unleashing cause or educational level.

Keywords : Complex regional pain syndrome; sympathetic pain; reflex sympathetic dystrophy; pain; relief of pain; causalgia; sympathetic blockade.

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