[Postoperative treatment of phantom pain and causalgias with calcitonin]

Abstract

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.