Intractable Pruritus After Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury

This case report describes a young woman who experienced intractable pruritus (severe itching) after sustaining a traumatic cervical spinal cord injury. The itching was located on her dorsal forearm and corresponded to the dermatomal distribution of her spinal cord injury and vertebral fusion. Despite various treatments, including topical lidocaine, gabapentin, and stellate ganglion block, the pruritus remained refractory.

• 1
  The patient's intractable pruritus was localized to the dermatomal distribution corresponding to her spinal cord injury.
• 2
  The pruritus was resistant to multiple treatments, including gabapentin, TENS, lidocaine, Bier block, stellate ganglion block, and acupuncture.
• 3
  Temporary relief was achieved with stellate ganglion block, suggesting a possible role for sympatholysis in managing neuropathic pruritus.