Spinal Cord Stimulation in Patients with Chronic Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy

Reflex sympathetic dystrophy is a pain syndrome of unknown pathophysiology that affects the foot or the hand. The disorder may be caused by trauma or surgery or may develop spontaneously. Excruciating, burning pain and functional impairment are the most disabling characteristics of the syndrome; other symptoms and signs are listed in Table 1. Only one in five affected patients is able to return to a normal level of functioning. 1 Since many different diagnostic criteria have been used, the exact incidence of reflex sympathetic dystrophy is unknown, but it has been estimated to occur in approximately 1 of every 2000 traumatic events. . . .