Spinal Cord Stimulation for Refractory Pain in Erythromelalgia

Erythromelalgia is a rare disorder characterized by red, warm, and painful extremities, which is often precipitated by warm conditions. The pathophysiology is incompletely understood. The management of pain in erythromelalgia is challenging as no single therapy has been found to be effective. Response to pharmacotherapy varies, meaning that the physician has to take a stepwise trial and error approach with each patient. Consequently, this disorder is often associated with poorer health-related quality of life. There is currently no consensus or guideline on management of pain in erythromelalgia. Spinal cord stimulation is a widely applied therapy to treat severe chronic pain of various origin. Case reports and anecdotal evidence suggest that this therapy might alleviate refractory pain in patients with erythromelalgia. The aim of this trial is to evaluate the efficacy of spinal cord stimulation for refractory pain in erythromelalgia.