Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) type I sometimes occurs especially in the upper limbs after trauma or operation. However there were few studies for CRPS after rotator cuff (RC) repair. The purpose of this study was to examine the factors and clinical features of changes in appearance of the hand like CRPS type I after RC repair. Six patients who had symptoms like CRPS after RC repair were investigated. Five items including sensory disturbance, color abnormality, swelling, stiffness and sweat disturbance, were examined to see whether these signs appeared or not, and the period of the signs. Then we also evaluated the changes of the symptom after therapy by CRPS score. Sensory disturbance (4 cases) and sweat disturbance (all 6 cases) appeared in one week postoperative. This sweat disturbance was dryness at first, then wetness. Stiffness (3 cases) and color abnormality (3 cases) appeared 2-3 weeks postoperative. The stiffness appeared 3-6 weeks (3 cases) postoperative. The treatment for the above symptom used drugs and kinesitherapy for all patients and 3 patients also had stellate ganglion block performed. The pre-and post-score was 2.8 and 1.3 points. It was significantly effective for the appearance of the fingers except sensory disturbance and stiffness. There are few reports about changes in the appearance of the hand after RC repair. Skin dryness was found in the early stage of each patient in group CRPS in this study. At this early stage, because there were no other symptoms except finger dryness and sensory disturbance, CRPS diagnostic criteria were not filled. However we thought the sign of skin dryness might be important for early treatment of CRPS.
