Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) following injury or nerve damage, as its name signifies, is a challenging entity, and its successful management requires a multidisciplinary approach. It not only manifests as severe
pain, but also gives rise to functional disability, lack of sleep, lack of enjoyment of life and poor quality of life. Various
pain interventional techniques have been described in the literature for the management of CRPS ranging from sympathetic blocks to spinal cord stimulator. A 34-year-old
liver transplant donor, who developed position-induced right upper limb
neuropathic pain suggestive of
CRPS type II was managed initially with medications and later with stellate ganglion block under fluoroscopic guidance at cervical C7 position. Following an initial significant improvement in
pain and
allodynia, which was transient, a pulsed
radiofrequency ablation of stellate ganglion was performed successfully to provide prolonged and sustained
pain relief, which persisted up to 14 months of follow-up.