
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16527790&query_hl=3&itool=pubmed_docsum

1: Can J Anaesth. 2006 Mar;53(3):258-62. Related Articles, Links  
 
Bilateral pain relief after unilateral thoracic percutaneous sympathectomy.

Gofeld M, Faclier G.

Department of Anesthesia, Sunnybrook & Women's College Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Ontario M4N 3M5, Canada. mgofeld@rogers.com

PURPOSE: To present a case of unexpected bilateral pain relief following unilateral thoracic percutaneous sympathectomy. CLINICAL FINDINGS: We present a case report where severe ischemic pain due to paraneoplastic Raynaud's syndrome with distal gangrene was successfully treated by means of percutaneous thoracic sympathectomy. A unilateral T2, T3 radiofrequency sympathectomy combined with small volume phenol injection resulted in unexpected bilateral pain relief. CONCLUSION: Our observations from this case report suggest a possible crossover of sympathetic innervation at the cervical and thoracic levels. Percutanenous thoracic radiofrequency sympathectomy is a feasible option for the treatment of refractory ischemic upper limb pain.

PMID: 16527790 [PubMed - in process] 