The cases of a 43 years old-man with gout and a 24 years-old woman with severe back pain who developed dextro-propoxyphene addiction during pain treatment are reported. They had severe edema and fibrosis of skin, subcutaneous tissue and muscle involving the upper and lower limbs. ESR was elevated, CPK and LDH were normal. EMG in proximal muscles showed decreased duration and voltage of potentials, excess of short polyphasics and increased recruitmente (BSAP), with positive waves and fibrilations; distal muscles had fasciculations, fibrilations, positive waves, normal voluntary potentials, decreased recruitment. Limphography indicate delayed progression of contrst media and obstruction in the thighs. Muscle biopsy on fresh-frozen section and histochemistry showed extensive connective tissue proliferation with intense acid and alkaline phosphatase activity in the perimisial and endomisial area, infiltration of limphocytes near and around small vessels and capilaries. There was perifascicular and type II fiber atrophy. After discharge the patients returned to propoxyphene addiction and the symptons who subsided during drug withdrawl como back again. New admission, new drug withdrawl and they were discharged free of symptoms. Possibly the repeated needles trauma, irritation by the propoxyphene and impairment of lymphatics drainage were the cause of symptoms and pathologic changes.