Case Report

Three cases of type-1 complex regional pain syndrome after elective total hip replacement

Hip Surgery Unit, Institute of Orthopaedics “Carlos E. Ottolenghi”, Italian Hospital of Buenos Aires, 4247 Potosí St., C1199ACK Buenos Aires, Argentina

^* Corresponding author: pablo.slullitel@gmail.com

Received: 28 January 2017
Accepted: 12 June 2017

Abstract

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) constitutes an atypical cause of pain after orthopaedic procedures. To our knowledge, there is a paucity of literature reporting this syndrome after total hip arthroplasty (THR), since only two case reports have been published. We thenceforth describe the clinical outcome of three cases of type-1 CRPS developed after elective THR, two of them initially diagnosed with secondary osteoarthritis whereas the remaining one presented a sequel of a failed osteosynthesis that required conversion to THR. Remission of disease was found at an average seven months (range: 4–9). Medical treatment involved a combined therapy of pain management, bisphosphonates and intense physical therapy. One patient was additionally treated with a corticosteroid blockade of his right sympathetic lumbar ganglia. None of the patients required surgical treatment. At final follow-up, physical examinations and imaging were negative for disease.