Photophobia and neuropathic pain in Sudeck's syndrome

Abstract

The case is presented of a 14 year-old patient diagnosed with Sudeck's syndrome secondary to uneventful foot trauma. The patient complained of decreased visual acuity along with photophobia and intense ocular pain not correlated with the exploratory findings.

Sudeck's syndrome is an idiopathic neuropathic inflammatory disease characterized by disproportionate pain, unrelated to a previous traumatic event, which can evolve to severe and generalized pain. A new explanation has recently been described this as “neuropathic eye pain” for those patients with severe eye pain that do not correlate with clinical signs. In the case presented here, the pain became widespread and led to photophobia and very intense ocular neuropathic pain. It is believed that this was the cause of the visual decrease that presented by this patient. It is proposed that the Sudeck syndrome should become part of the differential diagnosis of neuropathic eye pain.

Resumen

Presentamos a un paciente de 14 años diagnosticado de síndrome de Sudeck secundario a traumatismo no complicado del pie, derivado a nuestro servicio por disminución de la agudeza visual junto con fotofobia y dolor ocular intenso no correlacionado con los hallazgos exploratorios.

El síndrome de Sudeck es una enfermedad inflamatoria neuropática idiopática caracterizada por un dolor que es desproporcionado al evento lesivo que lo origina y que puede generalizarse. Recientemente se ha descrito una nueva enfermedad, el dolor ocular neuropático, caracterizado por un dolor exagerado donde los signos clínicos no se correlacionan con el dolor. En nuestro caso al generalizarse el dolor, generó fotofobia y dolor neuropático ocular muy intenso, que creemos que puede ser la causa de la disminución visual que presenta nuestro paciente. Proponemos que el síndrome de Sudeck entre a formar parte del diagnóstico diferencial del dolor ocular neuropático.