Surgical relief of causalgia with an artificial nerve guide tube: Successful surgical treatment of causalgia (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type II) by in situ tissue engineering with a polyglycolic acid-collagen tube

Abstract

Two patients with causalgia associated with allodynia and finger contracture were treated surgically with a bioresorbable nerve guide tube made from polygycolic acid and collagen: the injured segment of the digital nerve was resected and the resulting gap (25 and 36mm) was bridged with the tube. In both cases, a neuroma was found on the injured nerve and many sprouting branches were. After reconstruction, the causalgia and allodynia disappeared and movement of the fingers recovered during the following 6 months. Functional recovery was objectively identified for 1 year and 9 months. Both patients regained full use of their finger and were free of discomfort for up to 24 and 18 months, respectively. Since the first description of causalgia in 1864, there has been no definitive treatment for this intractable burning pain. Our experience shows that at least some types of causalgia can be resolved successfully by surgery.