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A Pilot Clinical Trial of Sympathetic Blockade With Botulinum Toxin Type A to Treat Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS): a Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled, Crossover Trial
This study has been completed.
Sponsored by: Stanford University
Information provided by: Stanford University
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00637533
  Purpose

Lumbar sympathetic blocks are part of the standard of care for treating patients with sympathetically-maintained pain (e.g. in complex regional pain syndrome or reflex sympathetic dystrophy- RSD). In these patients lower extremity pain can be reduced or abolished temporarily by blocking sympathetic nerves by doing a lumbar sympathetic block. Patients who respond only transiently to sympathetic blocks often choose between potentially dangerous lumbar sympathetic block with neurolytic agents, surgical sympathectomy, continued severe refractory debilitating pain or other risky invasive surgical procedures such as spinal cord electrical stimulation.. It is hypothesized that Botulinum Toxin Type A (BTA) injected in a lumbar sympathetic block can provide extended sympathetic blockade and thus pain relief. This pilot study aims to see if BTA can be used safely in lower extremity sympathetic blocks, and might be useful in providing prolonged pain relief.


Condition Intervention
Pain
Procedure: Lumbar sympathetic block with Botulinum Toxin type A

MedlinePlus related topics: Botox Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
Drug Information available for: Clostridium botulinum toxin
U.S. FDA Resources
Study Type: Interventional
Study Design: Treatment, Randomized, Double-Blind, Active Control, Crossover Assignment, Safety/Efficacy Study
Official Title: A Pilot Clinical Trial of Sympathetic Blockade With Botulinum Toxin Type A to Treat Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS): a Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled, Crossover Trial.

Further study details as provided by Stanford University:

Primary Outcome Measures:
  • days of analgesia

Secondary Outcome Measures:
  • VAS Pain Score X Time

Estimated Enrollment: 10
Study Start Date: May 2004
Estimated Study Completion Date: April 2007
Detailed Description:

Lumbar sympathetic block will be performed twice on each patient: once as in the standard of practice with 10 cc 0.5% Bupivicaine and once with 75 units of Botox in 10cc of 0.5% Bupivicaine. These will be done in random order and the investigator and the patient will be blinded to which medicine they received. Two weeks after their pain has returned to 75% of their baseline they will receive the second of the blocks.

Lumbar sympathetic blockade in the standard fashion is accomplished by placing an IV in the patient. The patient is then placed face down on a fluoroscopy table. They are then prepped and draped in a sterile fashion. Conscious sedation is provided with versed and Fentanyl in the operating room with monitoring of blood pressure, pulse oximetry, and ekg. The skin is topicalized with one cc of 1% Lidocaine. The L2 lumbar vertebral body is identified and under fluoroscopic guidance a 22 gauge 6 inch spinal needle is placed at the anterolateral border of the L2 vertebral body. The retroperitoneal space is identified with a loss of resistance technique. Correct needle positioned is confirmed radiographically and appropriate spread of medications is verified by injecting 3 cc of radio opaque contrast material. The needle will be aspirated to verify that it is not intravascular. Ten cc of Bupivicaine 0.5% will then be injected in divided dose to ensure safety. Between injections the patient will be asked to report ringing in the ears or tingling in the mouth.

Subjects will be given a form asking them to rate their pain (from 0 to 10 where 0 is no pain and 10 is worst pain imaginable) at noon every day starting one week before the injection and continuing until they feel there pain has returned to baseline or two weeks whichever is longer. Days of analgesia will be the primary endpoint of the study.

  Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:   21 Years to 80 Years
Genders Eligible for Study:   Both
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:   No
Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Severe pain in a lower extremity (greater than 6/10) of duration more than 6 months despite aggressive previous therapy including both previous lumbar sympathetic block, and
  • previous trial of at least 4 different pain medications including at least 2 of the following: gabapentin, amitryptiline, desipramine, nortriptyline, imipramine, carbamazepine, valproic acid, mexiletine, oxcarbazepine, topiramate, lamotrigine, flecainide, zonisamide, venlafaxine and levetiracetam.
  • The severity of the pain must be such that the patient must perceive the function of the lower extremity to be compromised by the pain.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Any neuromuscular disorder such as myasthenia gravis, eaton lambert, muscular dystrophy.
  • Any ongoing legal action related to their pain.
  • Any ongoing disability claim.
  • A history of any severe psychiatric disorder.
  • History of any adverse reaction to botulinum toxin.
  • History of botulism.
  • Untreated infection.
  • Coagulopathy.
  • Concurrent use of anticoagulant medications.
  Contacts and Locations
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00637533

Locations
United States, California
Stanford University School of Medicine
Stanford, California, United States, 94305
Sponsors and Collaborators
Stanford University
Investigators
Principal Investigator: Ian R Carroll Stanford University
  More Information

No publications provided

Study ID Numbers: SU-03102008-1034
Study First Received: March 11, 2008
Last Updated: March 17, 2008
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00637533  
Health Authority: USA:Office of Human Research Protection

Study placed in the following topic categories:
Botulinum Toxins
Autonomic Nervous System Diseases
Neuromuscular Diseases
Complex Regional Pain Syndromes
Peripheral Nervous System Diseases
Pain
Botulinum Toxin Type A

Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Anti-Dyskinesia Agents
Therapeutic Uses
Physiological Effects of Drugs
Nervous System Diseases
Neuromuscular Agents
Peripheral Nervous System Agents
Central Nervous System Agents
Pharmacologic Actions

ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on February 12, 2009