Conditions: Pain
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: CROSSOVER
Enrollment: 5
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
Superficial injection of Botulinum toxin has been advocated for cosmetic purposes but has also been reported to be helpful for some pain conditions. The investigators have observed prolonged profound analgesia following subcutaneous superficial injection of Botulinum Toxin Type A (BTA) in patients with certain types of neuropathic pain. the investigators propose to study if addition of BTA extends pain relief compared to placebo when injected subcutaneously into areas of cutaneous allodynia (the property that a normally non-noxious stimulus is perceived as painful).

Detailed description:
Patients with post-herpetic neuralgia, complex regional pain syndrome, and post-surgical neuromatous pain patients have marked cutaneous allodynia. Touching their skin with normally non-painful stimuli results in pain. Injected local anesthetics are often effective in providing temporary relief. In the course of clinical practice the investigators have observed that a number of patients with cutaneous allodynia have had marked persistent benefit from subcutaneous injection of Botulinum toxin Type A.

Rather than killing targeted neurons, Botulinum toxin type A inhibits release of acetylcholine from cholinergic nerve terminals in a prolonged but ultimately reversible manner. Neuropathic pain and its hallmark allodynia are classically difficult to treat. Standard treatment with tricyclic antidepressants, anti-epileptic drugs, opiates and spinal cord stimulation is frequently disappointing leaving patients with refractory pain. Surgical or percutaneous ablation of involved nerves has fallen out of favor among many due to disappointing results.

A pilot study is needed to assess the efficacy of superficially injected Botulinum Toxin type A for treatment of cutaneous allodynia and spontaneous pain among patients with neuropathic pain.

Arms:
arm 1: Injection 1: Saline- Subcutaneous injection of saline into scar tissue Injection 2: Botulinum Toxin Type A- Patients receive a subcutaneous injection of Botulinum Toxin Type A into the scar tissue arm 2: Injection 1: Botulinum Toxin Type A- Patients receive a subcutaneous injection of Botulinum Toxin Type A into the scar tissue Injection 2: Saline- Subcutaneous injection of saline into scar tissue

Interventions: intervention 1: Botulinum Toxin Type A intervention 2: Saline
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: Patients receive a subcutaneous injection of Botulinum Toxin Type A into the scar tissue intervention 2: Subcutaneous injection of saline into scar tissue

Protocol document: