Updates in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

Background: The Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), known as reflex sympathetic dystrophy, Sudeck atrophy, causalgy or posttraumatic pain has been described as an important cause of chronic morbidity, which acknowledge of clinical limits, pathophysiology and implications of pathogenesis is still little elucidated. Therefore a great dissatisfaction for patients and health professionals has been described regarding to the currently available therapeutic methods. Objectives: The goal of this paper is to discuss the current perspectives of physiopathology, diagnosis and treatment in CRPS. Methods: A review of the literature was carried out using the MEDLINE, LILACS, and SciELO databases, with preference to articles in English, Portuguese and Spanish. Results: The diagnosis is predominantly based in clinical evidences of signs and symptoms. Although it has been described in the literature in many studies and guidelines about the treatment of CRPS, there is no consensus of procedure indications. Between the surgical methods, the use of spinal cord stimulation and others neuromodulators approaches has been described associated to significant rates of success in the management of CRPS. Conclusion: According to the literature and authors experience, the successful treatment of CRPS is based in early diagnosis associated to experienced interdisciplinary team aiming the functional restoration and psychological aspect monitoring.