Complex regional pain syndrome following trigeminal nerve injury: report of 2 cases

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a debilitating neuropathic pain condition that has been extensively reported in the extremities following variable degrees of nerve trauma. CRPS has rarely been reported in the orofacial region. We report 2 orofacial pain patients whose clinical phenotypes fit the criteria for CRPS. Two cases of orofacial complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) are described, both of which began following trigeminal nerve trauma. In case 1 the patient presented with redness of the ipsilateral ear during painful episodes, pain that extended into the ipsilateral arm and was associated with variations in the appearance of the ipsilateral hand. Symptoms also included “electric-burning pain” of the right side of the head, including the ear, teeth, jaw, eye, neck, and cheek. In case 2 the patient presented with intractable pain of the upper left face, head, and neck accompanied by color changes in the painful areas, which increased with exposure to cold.