Relief of Sympathetically Maintained Pain Associated with a Venous Malformation of the Hand Using Intravenous Regional Guanethidine

Abstract

RA Hopper, K Anderson. Relief of sympathetically maintained pain associated with a venous malformation of the hand using intravenous regional guanethidine. Can J Plast Surg 1994;1(4):188-190. A 28-year-old woman with a venous malformation of the hand, unresponsive to previous surgical therapy, experienced significant relief from her incapacitating symptoms after a series of four intravenous regional guanethidine blocks. The effects of the blocks lasted an average of six weeks each. Continuation of the treatments was delayed following an unexpected hypersensitivity reaction to the last block. The case would suggest a sympathetic component to this malformation-associated pain. Further assessment of the effect of this relatively simple, easily repeated treatment on other malformations is indicated.