This report describes a 26‑year‑old female who developed symptoms consistent with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) after bilateral ankle sprain. She presented with severe, electric shock‑like pain and pronounced hyperalgesia in the first toes of both feet. In addition to neuropathic pain, her clinical picture included localized redness, swelling, burning sensation and hyperhidrosis, reflecting autonomic dysfunction commonly observed in CRPS.
The diagnosis reported in the article was clinical and based on the combination of neuropathic pain features and autonomic signs following the traumatic event. The abstract does not provide additional diagnostic testing results or objective measures beyond the described symptoms.
According to the report, the patient received oral pharmacotherapy for neuropathic pain prior to the interventional procedure, but this therapy proved ineffective. The authors elected a combined interventional approach because conservative medical treatment did not achieve symptom control. The abstract does not specify the names, dosages, or duration of the oral neuropathic agents used.
The therapeutic strategy combined two modalities: targeted neuromodulation using pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) applied to a peripheral sensory nerve and a regenerative adjunct using platelet‑rich plasma (PRP) injected at the same anatomical region. The report frames this combined approach as an attempt to reduce neuropathic pain and address local tissue or nerve‑related pathology contributing to CRPS symptoms.
The procedure was performed under ultrasound guidance. PRF was applied to the medial plantar nerve, and a platelet‑rich plasma (PRP) injection was administered in combination. The report emphasizes the use of ultrasound to guide both the neuromodulation and injection components, improving localization of the medial plantar nerve.
Specific technical details commonly of interest—such as the PRF settings (temperature, voltage, pulse duration, total application time), exact PRP preparation method (centrifugation protocol, platelet concentration), injection volume, number of treatment sessions, peri‑procedural medications, or immediate procedural complications—are not provided in the abstract.
The postoperative course was described as progressively improving. By one month after the combined procedure, the patient’s pain score had decreased to 0. Autonomic manifestations—including local redness, swelling, and abnormal sweating—were reported as completely resolved at that time. The authors report no recurrence of symptoms during a six‑month postoperative follow‑up period.
Beyond the pain score of 0 at one month and resolution of autonomic signs, the abstract does not supply additional quantitative outcome measures, functional assessments, quality‑of‑life scores, or analgesic use during follow‑up.
The case report is authored by Qing Yuan, Jin Wang, Yi Zhang and Xu‑Lei Cui. Affiliations listed in the source include the Department of Anesthesiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, and the Department of Anesthesiology, Xinxiang Central Hospital (East Campus), Xinxiang, Henan, China.
Publication details provided in the source: Zhongguo Yi Xue Ke Xue Yuan Xue Bao. 2026 Aug 30;48(4):751–754. PMID: 42660844. DOI: 10.3881/j.issn.1000-503X.17212.
This article reports a single‑patient experience and therefore cannot establish efficacy, safety, or generalizability of the combined ultrasound‑guided pulsed radiofrequency plus platelet‑rich plasma approach for CRPS. Important procedural and methodological details are not reported in the abstract, including precise PRF parameters, PRP preparation and dosing, and information on concurrent or rescue analgesics.
The observed outcome in this case—complete pain relief and resolution of autonomic symptoms sustained through six months—suggests that combining peripheral nerve PRF with PRP injection may merit further study as a potential treatment option for refractory CRPS. The report supports the need for larger, controlled studies that document standardized protocols, objective outcome measures, and safety data before broader clinical adoption.