Use of Acupuncture Point Injection with Placental Extract for Treatment of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a painful condition developed after a traumatic injury of extremities. While the pathophysiology of CRPS has not clarified yet, the roles of excessive regional inflammation, peripheral sensitization of primary somatosensory afferents, and central sensitization of spinal neurons associated with the symptoms of this disorder have been intensively investigated [1,2]. The major focus in treatment of CRPS is to alleviate pain and maintain maximum function. A number of drug or interventional treatments that may provide pain relief have been described: spinal cord stimulation, paravertebral sympathetic ganglion nerve blockade, corticosteroid, ketamine, and acupuncture [3-7]. However, confirmatory trials are still required before recommendations can be given. Two case reports and two randomized trials have reported that long-term acupuncture treatment reduced pains in CRPS patients [7-10]. However, no significant improvement of other inflammatory parameters of CRPS, including swelling, mobility, temperature, and redness, could be proven in comparison with sham-treated patients [710].