Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome of the Hand After Placement of an Arteriovenous Graft for Hemodialysis

Reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome (RSDS), a complex clinical syndrome characterized by pain and swelling of an affected extremity, is most commonly seen after trauma. We report the case of a woman with diabetes mellitus and chronic renal failure who presented with RSDS 5 months after placement of an arteriovenous (AV) graft for hemodialysis. The temporal relationship between RSDS and the vascular surgery suggests AV graft placement as the precipitating event for the development of RSDS. Treatment with systemic corticosteroids successfully relieved the patient's symptoms. We believe that RSDS should be included in the differential diagnosis of unexplained limb pain and swelling after AV graft placement.