Complex regional pain syndrome: A new name for reflex sympathetic dystrophy and causalgia

The syndrome termedreflex sympathetic dystrophy, first named in the 1940s, has acquired many synonyms that often reflect the medical specialty of the indiviclual who is describing it. Although this term is accepted in English-speaking countries, it does little to provide a clinical description, and does not encourage those who would investigate its pathophysiology. This article is an attempt to change the contemporary thinking by introducing a purely descriptive taxonomy.