Abstract
We report 3 patients with phantom limb pain and phantom limb sensation after an operation for forequarter amputation whose pain was relieved by oral gabapentin. Case 1 had phantom pain 14 days after amputation. The pain was relieved with a dose of 300 mg/day of oral gabapentin, and the numerical rating scale (NRS) was improved from 8/10 to 0~1/10. Case 2 had a neuropathic pain caused by a tumor of humerus before amputation, and oral gabapentin was administered at a dose of 300 mg/day. Pain was relieved and NRS was improved from 5/10 to 3/10. Oral gabapentin at the same dose was also effective for relieving a phantom sensation that occurred 9 days after the operation. Case 3 had phantom pain 2 days after amputation. Pain was relieved with a dose of oral gabapentin, 600 mg/day, and NRS was improved from 6/10 to 2/10.
The results in these cases suggest that oral gabapentin is effective for the relief of phantom pain and phantom sensation after amputation.
