[Association of physiotherapy under continuous brachial plexus analgesia and shoulder arthrographic-distension for treatment of resistant shoulder-hand syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: Evaluation of treatment of shoulder-hand syndromes resistant to conventional therapeutic. This approach consists of an intensive treatment based on arthrographic distension with rapid mobilization of the shoulder under general anaesthesia and on active rehabilitation under regional analgesia using infraclavicular brachial plexus catheter.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: It was a retrospective study of twenty-five consecutive patients with severe shoulder-hand syndrome treated between 2007 and 2012. Besides their persistent pain, these patients presented a functional disability of their shoulder, wrist and hand. Treatment was initiated at least three months after diagnosis. All were assessed at the admission and six months later.

RESULTS: After treatment, pain was reduced by at least three points at the NS in 64% of the patients. Twelve patients described a complete recovery of their shoulder function; eleven patients described a normal hand function recovery and six patients a partial recovery allowing regular life. Nineteen patients evaluated their functional improvement of more than 50%. Only two patients with more than one year of chronic pain reported no improvement after treatment.

CONCLUSION: After failure of the physiotherapy and analgesic treatment, there are no clear consensual procedures and guidelines remains discussed. The current study combined different approaches with a significant improvement of this complex regional pain syndrome called shoulder-hand syndromes.