A case of recurrent and migratory complex regional pain syndrome type I: prevention by gabapentin

Complex regional pain syndrome type I (CRPS I) or reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD) is a painful and disabling neuropathic pain syndrome. We report a case of a patient who has experienced CRPS I four times with an unidentified cause for all recurrences. The patient responded well to a combination of physiotherapy and intravenous regional sympathetic block in the first two attacks, but not in the fourth one. Gabapentin was effective in the last two attacks. Gabapentin was gradually discontinued 12 months after the last attack and no other recurrence was observed for a follow-up period of 9 months. This case suggests that gabapentin might be considered in the treatment and prevention of CRPS I.