Treating Erythromelalgia with Interosseous Membrane Stimulation: An Autonomic Basis for the Condition and Its Treatment.

BACKGROUND: Erythromelalgia, which has primary and secondary presentations, causes heat, pain, and redness in the skin. The condition seems to have an autonomic basis, with vasomotor dysfunction causing dilatation of some blood vessels and constriction of others. No consistently effective treatments have been reported. Anticonvulsant, antidepressant, antihistamine, anti-inflammatory, antihypertensive, analgesic, nutritional, and topical approaches have been tried as were lidocaine infusions, nerve blocks, and thoracic and lumbar sympathectomies. Interosseous membrane stimulation appears to affect the local autonomic milieu in the extremity being treated. This approach was used on a patient with erythromelalgia.

CASE: A 36-year-old woman with erythromelalgia was treated with interosseous membrane stimulation. Eight treatments were given over a 1-year timeframe at 1-3-month intervals.

RESULTS: This patient repeatedly experienced much relief from her burning paresthesias, swelling, diaphoresis, and ruddy discoloration of her extremities for 6-8 hours following each treatment. The intensity of her discomfort subsided gradually over time.

CONCLUSIONS: Interosseous membrane stimulation is a safe, simple, and effective treatment for erythromelalgia, which is notoriously refractory to treatment. This patient's response to treatment might have been a result of localized derangement of her autonomic nervous system. It is possible that manipulation of the autonomic milieu of an extremity is a significant factor in the mechanism of action of interosseous membrane stimulation.