Active clinical trials for "Complex Regional Pain Syndromes"

Background of the study: CRPS type-1 is a pain syndrome that usually develops after an initiating noxious event (e.g. fracture) in an extremity. Although treatment options life dimethyl-sulphoxide (DMSO), N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and intensive physical therapy exist, the treatment effect is often unsatisfactory, even leading to amputation of the extremity. Surgical treatment of chronic pain disorders by dividing the sympathetic chain is an established treatment. Its more invasive nature has prevented widespread application. After introduction of minimal invasive techniques in recent years, the UMCG has now devised a truly minimal invasive, yet safe and effective thoracoscopic technique, that requires only a single 1 cm long incision in the anterior axillary line. This technique is developed as treatment for primary focal axillary and palmar hyperhidrosis, and is performed in over 50 patients producing very satisfying results. This fact has led to the hypothesis that this same surgical technique can offer this group of chronic pain patients a safe, effective treatment modality. Objective of the study: The effect of the intervention on pain an regain of function in de affected extremity. This will be quantified in multiple questionnaires at baseline and three follow-up points, and by clinical evaluation of the hand function at baseline and two follow-up points. Study design: Single center prospective feasibility study

Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD), Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), Causalgia, and Fibromyalgia represent progressive systemic pain conditions which often worsen over time. They appear to be dysregulation of the central nervous system (CNS) and the autonomic system (sympathetic/parasympathetic) which cause extensive functional losses, impairment, and disabilities. They are often associated with injury sites (including surgical) which produce constant, often disabling pain and motor-sensory losses. Treatments are often ineffective and include medications (often high dose opiates), Physical Therapy (PT), and surgical interventions (sympathectomy, ablation) or insertion stimulators of the CNS. Study is an interventional study to document the safety and efficacy of use of adipose-derived cellular stromal vascular fraction (AD-cSVF) in chronic pain and dysfunction disease groups.

This is a controlled trial designed to determine short- and long-term effects of repeated tDCS on the P300 component of event-related evoked potentials in patients with chronic neuropathic pain due to Complex regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) or diabetic neuropathy as compared with healthy subjects.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether intravenous immunoglobulins are effective in the treatment of complex-regional pain syndrome.

Chronic pain can result from injured or inflamed nerves, as occurs in people suffering from sciatica and CRPS. These nerve injuries or regions of nerve irritation are often the cause of pain in these conditions, but the current diagnostic tools are limited in pinpointing the area of origin. Several studies have implicated involvement of sigma-1 receptors in the generation and perpetuation of chronic pain conditions, others are investigating anti sigma-1 receptor drugs for the treatment of chronic pain. Using the sigma-1 receptor (S1R) detector and experimental radiotracer [18F]FTC-146 and positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MRI) scanner, the researchers may potentially identify the source of pain generation in patients suffering from complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) and chronic sciatica. The ultimate goal is to assist in the optimization of pain treatment regimens using an [18F]FTC-146 PET/MRI scan. The study is not designed to induce any physiological/pharmacological effect.

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate safety and efficacy of a new spinal cord stimulation paddle electrode which is able to target the dorsal horns, dorsal nerve roots, and dorsal columns. The research electrode ("Study Electrode") is designed to answer basic physiological clinical research questions. It may inform future device therapy development, but the Study Electrode is not a product that will be marketed or sold. The Investigators believe the protocol is a Non-Significant Risk study answering basic physiological research questions, which may be performed under hospital IRB approval.

It's well known that Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) changes the perception of chronic pain in the area stimulated by epidural electrodes. However, we don't know the effect of this type of stimulation on the perception of external sensations (temperature, touch, pressure, and vibration) and sharp pain. Quantitative sensory testing (QST) is used to quantify somatosensory phenotype. This QST battery tests different subtypes of nerve fibres (Aβ, Aδ and C) involved in the transduction of sensory information from the periphery to the spinal cord. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of the SCS on sensory perceptions of patients with chronic pain (CRPS, FBSS). Sensorial perception tests will be carried out in accordance with a standardized procedure (Rolke et al. Pain, 2006). For non-implanted patients, an initial visit will be conducted before the operation. For all participants, two other visits will take place at least 6 months after the operation to perform the tests with and without stimulation.

Shoulder-hand syndrome (SHS) in stroke patients is painful and lowers quality of life. Unfortunately, the cause of SHS is not known, diagnosing SHS can be difficult, and treating it can be hard. Recent research has shown that certain nerve blocks are good for treating shoulder pain for stroke patients, but no one has looked specifically as SHS. Investigators think that specific nerve blocks involving a shoulder nerve (the suprascapular, or SSc nerve) and a hand nerve (the median nerve) will be helpful in reducing SHS pain. Investigators will use ultrasound guidance to accurately inject these nerves. These injections have never been described for SHS patients however, so investigators want to make sure people with SHS can go through with the injections without too much pain or discomfort. That is, the investigators want to test the tolerance of these injections for people with SHS. Investigators are also hoping to better understand how consistent a set of diagnostic criteria, called the Budapest criteria, are at diagnosing SHS in order to be able to accurately diagnose this condition.

This study compares the efficacy of the ultrasound with fluoroscope in guidance of lumbar sympathetic block (LSB). The goals of the study are; 1) To show that US-guided LSB results in shorter performance time compared to fluoroscope-guided LSB, 2) To evaluate the efficacy and safety of US-guided LSB, and 3) To verify that US-guided LSB has similar success rates to fluoroscope-guided LSB. 50 patients who are supposed to undergo LSB due to sympathetically maintained pain, satisfy criteria of inclusion and exclusion, and voluntarily sign the informed consent will be enrolled.

ACTIVE study- a prospective observational clinical study examining the changes in quality of life and pain following dorsal root ganglion stimulation for the treatment of chronic intractable pelvic and lower limb pain.