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Pulsed Radiofrequency Of Sympathetic Lumbar Plexus Versus Sympathetic Block In The Management Of Lower Limb Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type 1

Freitas TS*, Fonoff ET, Neto ORM, Deusdará RM, Waihrich ES and Kessler I

Background and Objectives: Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) type 1 is a neuropathic syndrome which most patients evolve to the necessity of interventional procedures to treat their pain. Our objective was to compare two safe options (pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) or sympathetic blocks) and their efficiency in the treatment of this neuropathic pain and in the quality of life of patients.

Methods: 40 randomized patients received PRF or sympathetic blocks in lower limb CRPS type 1. They were evaluated with VAS scores, neuropathic pain scale and RAND SF-36 scale in a follow up of 1 day, 7 days, 2-4 and 6 months.

Results: There were similar reductions from the baseline in various pain scores after the procedures. In the PRF group these results were statistically significant superior to the blockade group related to burning pain. The other parameters and RAND SF-36 had similar results.

Conclusions: PRF appears as a technique with similar results in the treatment of lower limb CRPS type 1, compared with the sympathetic block. Only one pain outcome (hot pain) was statistically significant and this difference was insignificant to the final result. Since it is a higher-cost procedure with too few benefits, this difference did not affect the quality of life (RAND SF-36).