Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: From Ambroise Paré to the Budapest Criteria

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), also known as algodystrophy, was described in detail by Ambroise Paré as early as the 15th century, and later extensively reported by Silas Weir Mitchell, american military surgeon during the Civil War. Common in musculoskeletal disorders (traumatic, post-surgical, or neurological) affecting the limbs, CRPS encompasses a set of articular and peri-articular symptoms dominated by persistent pain. Pain is regional in distribution and does not correspond to a specific dermatome or a defined peripheral nerve territory. The incidence ranges from 0.19% to 1.2% following surgery or trauma. Prolonged immobilization of a limb is a major and frequent contributing factor. Medical history and clinical examination are keys to diagnosis, which is based on the Budapest criteria.