Work

Improvement of Post-sympathectomy Raynaud’s Syndrome With Spinal Cord Stimulation

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: Raynaud's phenomenon is a vascular disorder, characterized by vasospasm-induced discoloration, numbness, and pain in the extremities. While pharmacological treatments and sympathectomy are commonly employed, many patients experience symptom recurrence, and effective therapies for refractory cases remain limited. This case study presents a 60-year-old male with severe Raynaud's symptoms, including fingertip necrosis, unresponsive to pharmacotherapy and endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy. Despite initial symptom relief, the patient's condition worsened, leading to finger necrosis. Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) was introduced as an alternative treatment, significantly reducing the patient's pain and improving blood flow to the affected areas. The mechanisms of SCS remain largely speculative, but it is believed to modulate the sympathetic nervous system, promoting vasodilation by releasing neuropeptides. This case highlights the potential of SCS as a therapeutic option for managing severe and recurrent Raynaud's phenomenon, especially in patients unresponsive to conventional treatments.

Source: Cureus

DOI: 10.7759/cureus.71340

Authors: Kai Pan, Hongjie Jiang, Hemmings Wu, Junming Zhu, Jianmin Zhang

Institution: Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University

Language: English

Topic: Pain Management and Treatment

Subfield: Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: diamond

OpenAlex ID: W4403375771