Triple-target regimen for treatment of chronic pain following post herpic neuralgia [CPPHN]: a prospective trial at Jordan university hospital [JUH] pain unit

Chronic pain post herpic neuralgia [CPPHN] is one of the most difficult chronic pain problems. It has been recognized that CPPHN has three components: central, emotional and peripheral. Several studies have addressed the management of these components individually1-3. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of manging these three components together in the same patient. A prospective study. Jordan University hospital, Department of Anaesthesia, Pain Unit. Prospective evaluation of 50 patients with chronic [CPPHN] from March 1990-June 1997. All patients had pain for more than 6 months upon entry to the study. All patients were given Tramadol, amitryptaline and steroids for 6 months. Subcostal block using Ethanol and Lignocaine was used once on day 5. Pain assessment was performed according to visual analogue sequar [VAS]. Complete cure was achieved in 70% of the patients at the end of 6 months therapy, mild tolerable pain continued in 10%, moderate to severe untolerable in 20%. Combined management for the three components of [CPPHN] by using drugs and local block appear to improve the outcome of these patients