Results of IV
calcitonin treatment in patients suffering from postoperative
phantom limb pain (n = 12) or
causalgia following peripheral nerve lesions (n = 4) are reported. All patients were complained of severe
pain after a traumatic event or
amputation, with disturbed sleep in many cases. After only 1-2 infusions 10 patients with
phantom limb pain (83%) were discharged from hospital
pain-free.
Pain was effectively reduced by up to 5 infusions in 2 patients (17%). A follow-up for maximally 24 months showed a recurrence of
pain in only 4 patients with obvious stump problems or reamputations. Three patients with
causalgia also profited from a remarkable but transitory
pain reduction; in 1 patient
therapy was ineffective. Recurrent
pain due to
causalgia could not be improved by repeated
calcitonin infusion, although this was effective for
phantom limb pain. The administration of
calcitonin IV can be recommended as a valuable treatment for
phantom limb pain and causalgias in the early postoperative period.
Therapy was effective with negligible side-effects, and long-term follow-up revealed a long-lasting effect.