BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Neuropathic pain is defined as pain started or caused by somatosensory system injury, which leads to major functional loss and limitation. Its treatment is critical to improve quality of life. This study aimed at reporting neuropathic pain control with sildenafil in a patient refractory to normal therapy. CASE REPORT: Male patient, 40 years old, evolving with very severe neuropathic pain after lumbar nephrectomy to treat renal neoplasia. Adequate pain control was not reached with normally used first, second or third line drugs. Sildenafil for six months has provided adequate pain control, importantly decreasing its intensity and greatly improving functional limitation presented by the patient. CONCLUSION: Sildenafil has provided important pain intensity decrease, emerging as an option to treat neuropathic pain not controlled by normal therapy.
Neuropathy; Nitric oxide; Pain; Phosphodiesterase inhibitors