Abstract
The results of published novel research in a specific field of medicine are the basis for changing the existing, recognized diagnostic or therapeutic paradigm. Over the last 20–30 years, there have been many examples of such changes. Most often, no one misses them, because new forms of diagnosis and treatment are usually much more precise and effective. However, there are some treatments that have been abandoned despite having been used for many years with good results, and their fate was decided by the results of novel research showing that their effectiveness is similar to placebo. There are several examples of such therapies, including the use of regional intravenous blockades with guanethidine and free radical scavengers in the treatment of the acute phase of complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), treatment of distal radial fractures by percutaneous fixation with K-wires, and conservative treatment of hand fractures. In this article, the authors recall these methods and discuss their advantages, despite the fact that evidence-based medicine (EBM) has considered them ineffective.