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A Case Report of Refractory Notalgia Paresthetica Treated with Lidocaine Infusions

Yaroslava Chtompel, Marzieh Eghtesadi, Grisell Vargas-Schaffer

(Department of Anesthesiology and Chronic Pain Management, University Hospital of Montreal (CHUM), Montreal, QC, Canada)

Am J Case Rep 2017; 18:1225-1228

DOI: 10.12659/AJCR.905676

BACKGROUND: Notalgia paresthetica is a neuropathic condition that manifests as a chronic itch in the thoraco-dorsal region. It is often resistant to treatment, and specific guidelines for its management are lacking. As such, we present a treatment approach with intravenous lidocaine infusions.
CASE REPORT: The case involves a 50-year-old woman with spinal cord injury caused by an epidural abscess. The patient developed notalgia paresthetica and sublesional neuropathic pain following its drainage. In the course of her pain management, she was treated with intravenous lidocaine which resulted in profound relief of notalgia paresthetica.
CONCLUSIONS: Intravenous lidocaine was effective in relieving neuropathic itch in the patient case presented.

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