HISTORY

RSDS (Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome) formally known as (causalgia) was recognized back in the civil war days. The civil war started in 1861 and ended 1865. Over a century ago Drs. Mitchell, Moorehouse and Keen described this syndrome as causalgia.

In 1864, Mitchell et al, observed that soldiers with gunshot wound injuries of peripheral nerves sometimes had persistent burning pain and progressive trophic changes in the affected limb. He called this syndrome causalgia because of the burning pain. Since that time, several similar clinical syndromes have been given different designations because of a predominant clinical feature or the precipitating insult.

Second to disease as a cause of death was battlefield injuries, totaling some 200,000 casualties. Amputations of a wounded arm or leg was the most common operation, due largely to the .58 calibre minie ball ammunition used during the war. This heavy conical - shaped bullet of soft lead distorted on impact causing large, gaping wounds filled with dirt and pieces of clothing. It's heavy weight shattered any bone it contacted, because of the severity of the wounds and the overwhelming case load, surgeons usually elected for fast and easy amputation over trying to remove the bullet and save the limb.
Risk from surgery were great. Doctors had no antiseptic surgery, this resulted in extremely high death rates from post-operative infection. Instead of using anesthesia, the surgeons relied on the "surgical shock" of battle, when the patient's heart rate was increased they amputated the limb.

We still today don't know about this syndrome than back in those days. RSDS still today remains a mystery. Over a hundred and thirty years and still goes often unrecognized clinically and continues to be very poorly understood. Any type of trauma both major or minor can set off this syndrome.