INTRATHECAL BUPRENORPHINE IN THE TREATMENT OF PHANTOM LIMB PAIN

Phantom Limb pain is a chronic pain perceived in an absent part of the body. It can totally consume a patient's life. Suggested treatments f or this complaint are many, but none have proved to have lasting effic acy. We have treated two patients suffering from phantom limb pain. In trathecal buprenorphine provided not only immediate and long-lasting p ain relief, but also increased the temperature of the lower part of th e body. These cases are described and possible mechanisms for the anal gesic and hyperthermic actions of intrathecal buprenorphine are discus sed.