The opioid crisis has reached alarming levels worldwide, exacerbated by the excessive prescription of these drugs, especially after surgical procedures, increasing the risk of dependence and abuse. It is estimated that up to 10% of patients develop persistent use, and overprescription not only affects individuals but also facilitates their availability and misuse in the community. It is crucial for healthcare professionals to work together to develop and implement safer and more effective strategies for postoperative pain management.

Introduction: Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is a pathological entity that carries a high burden of disease and reduces disability-free life expectancy and quality of life. Previously, the research patterns and general characteristics of the scientific production on CRPS have not been evaluated or analyzed. Methods: Cross-sectional bibliometric study that used Scopus as the data source. Results: 3081 documents were selected, published between 1969 and 2024. 69% (n=2126) of the articles corresponded to original articles, followed by 13.2% (n=406); it was observed an international collaboration accounted for 11.49% and an annual scientific growth accounted for 7.63%. The most frequently used terms in CRPS research are causalgia, rehabilitation, allodynia, treatment, and inflammation. Reflex sympathetic dystrophy, causalgia, and spinal cord stimulation are the most popular topics to ...