• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.237-240
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• 2008

Ramsay Hunt syndrome is a disorder characterized by herpetic eruptions on the auricle, facial paralysis, and vestibulocochlear dysfunction, and is attributed to varicella zoster virus infection in the geniculate ganglion. Ramsay Hunt syndrome accounts for about 10% cases of facial palsy. We report a 46-year-old healthy man developed left side skin vesicles on the face with severe pain. We thought of the trigeminal herpes zoster. He was treated with intravenous acyclovir, and stellate ganglion block daily. Four days later, brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed small areas of enhancement in the seventh cranial nerve and eighth cranial nerve, not in the fifth cranial nerve. Eight days later, the left facial palsy was come. We confirmed him as Ramsay Hunt syndrome. We started steroid therapy immediately. He recovered completely a month later. The patient was improved through the early antiviral therapy, steroid medication and stellate ganglion block.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.258-261
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• 2010

We report a 66-year-old woman with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) 1 treated with combined medical and active physical therapy. She was diagnosed with CRPS 1 following partial shoulder prosthesis due to proximal humerus fracture. Despite continuous medication and physical therapy, there was no improvement in her pain and functional outcome. Her overall pain was decreased by stellate ganglion block 3 times in two weeks conducted during the second month of the follow-up period. Following the ganglion blockades, pain and the other symptoms were decreased intermittently but range of motion (ROM) and functional status were not satisfied as much as expected. After the third month of follow-up, her passive and active ROM of the shoulder joint was increased after application of manipulation under general anesthesia. In conclusion, because CRPS 1 remains one of the most difficult pain syndromes, early diagnosis and treatment are important to have adequate functional results from physical therapy. Manipulation under general anesthesia may be an additional effective treatment tool to obtain functional improvement in some patients diagnosed with CRPS 1.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.343-345
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• 1998

Stellate ganglion block and cervical epidural nerve block are frequently practiced in pain clinics because of simple procedure and good effect. Nerve block at head and neck may produce serious complication such as loss of consciousness and cardiac arrest. Blood supply is rich in neck and inadvertent arterial injection of local anesthetics may enter directly into brain. We experienced convulsion and respiratory arrest during SGB and cervical epidural block. The patients were resuscitated successfully and recovered without any adverse effects.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.304-307
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• 1995

1,666 patients treated by nerve block from September 1994 to August 1995 we statistically analyzed according to sex, age, diseases, and kinds of nerve blocks. Most patients were in the range from 30 to 60 year old, with a distribution of 43.9% male and 56.1% female. Diseases and ailments were as follows: low back pain 30.6%, frozen shoulder 14.0%, facial spasm 10.0%, cervical syndrome 9.7%, headache 7.3%, and hyperhidrosis 7.2%. Most common nerve blocks were stellate ganglion block 30.9%, epidural block 25.6%, trigger point injection 16.1%, and suprascapular nerve block 6.7%. Nerve blocks under fluoroscopic guide were as follows: facet joint block 28.6%, spinal root block 22.9%, thoracic sympathetic ganglion block 21.7%, and lumbar sympathetic ganglion block 15.4%.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.30-35
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• 1998

Background: Idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss(ISSHL) has been generally defined as an abrupt loss of auditory acuity without precipitating factors. Since ISSHL was first described as a disease entity, numerous reports assessing a variety of treatment regimens have been published. But its etiology, pathogenesis, treatment, and prognosis are controversial at the present time. Stellate ganglion block(SGB) has been used for the treatment of ISSHL by vasodilatation and increased blood flow to the inner ear. Methods: We reviewed the records of 152 patients to investigate the efficacy of SGB for ISSHL. The control group was managed with medications such as hypaque, heparin, steroid, nicotinic acid, and vitamins. The SGB group was managed with SGB and the same medications. SGB was performed with 8 ml of 1.0% mepivacaine. The efficacy of treatment was evaluated by pure-tone average following therapy. The recovery of hearing was defined as Siegel's criteria I, II, or III. Results: The recovery rate of the SGB group was higher than that of the control group(61.5 vs. 42.9%, p<0.05). The recovery rate was higher in patients who were treated early, within 7 days from the onset of symptoms, especially in the SGB group(79.7%). And in the case that initial hearing loss was severe (>70dB), the SGB group had a higher recovery rate(64.2%) than the control group(42.5%). Conclusions: SGB is thought to be a useful therapy for ISSHL, especially in the patients who were treated soon after onset or whose initial hearing loss was severe.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.669-676
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• 2004

Post-herpetic neuralgia(PHN) is a chronic pain syndrome associated with the reactivation of a primary infection with varicella zoster virus(chinken pox), which leads to a chronic infection of dorsal root ganglia. The most common risk factor for shingles and its potential sequela, PHN, is advanced age. For a significant number of patients, the pain following healing of shingles can persist for months to years. If this pain, classified as PHN, persists longer than one month. PHN often leads to depression, disrupted sleep, decreased productivity, and utilization of health care. We treated a 60 year-old female patient who suffered pain and headache after Stellate Ganglion Blocks(SGB). In identifying points for differentiation of syndrom(辨證), this subject was diagnosed as Yangmyeong Merdian wind-heat syndrom(陽明經風熱證) and was administered Seungmagalgeuntanggamibang(revised Shengmagalgen-tang, 升麻葛根湯加味方). To ease pain, Western medication was administered as well. After fourteen days of treatment, pain and other symptoms improved.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.135-138
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• 2014

A 34-year-old female was suffered from pain and numbness of right arm for 2 months after undergoing a thoracoscopic procedure for a posterior mediastinal mass that was diagnosed as neurilemmoma. The patient was diagnosed as a complex regional pain syndrome type 2 with brachial plexopathy developed during thoracoscopic excision of posterior mediastinal mass, and stellate ganglion block (SGB) with 0.2% ropivacaine 10 mL was performed every 3-4 days. The patient revealed slightly prolonged blepharoptosis as Horner syndrome accompanied after every SGB and recovered. However, following the 23rd SGB, the blepharoptosis persisted and patient was recovered spontaneously from blepharoptosis after about 12 months. The possibility that the persistent blepharoptosis might be caused by brachial plexopathy related to patient's pathology or surgical manipulation and/or repeated SGB. If Horner syndrome occurs, its etiology should be assessed, and it would be necessary to explain and to assure the patient the possibility of recovery spontaneously from the complication within a year, without any sequelae.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.263-269
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• 1994

Causaliga is a syndrome of sustained burning pain, allodynia and hyperpathia after a traumatic nerve lesion, often combined with vasomotor and sudomotor dysfunction and later trophic changes. Various treatments of causalgia contain sympathetic blockade, sympathectomy, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, physical therapy, cryotherapy and psychotherapy. Repeated stellate ganglion blocks with 6ml of 0.25% bupivacaine provided good results for 2 patients. We recommand sympathetic blocks for treatment of causalgia.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.123-125
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• 2001

A 50-year-old female patient developed severe right neck and upper extremity pain, hyperesthesia and allodynia during cervical epidural block. Her pain was diagnosed as neuropathic nature. She was treated with repeated stellate ganglion block (SGB) and electrical stimulation (EST). After 3 weeks of treatment, symptomatic relief was achieved, but a mild degree of hyperesthesia and motor weakness was remained. However, she refused all treatment. So treatment was stopped. In a follow-up done, 15 weeks after the nerve injury, she had recovered without complications.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.105-110
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• 2018

Background: A stellate ganglion block (SGB) causes increased blood flow in the maxillofacial region, exhibiting the potential for regenerative effects in damaged tissue. The focus of this study was to understand the efficacy of SGB for regenerative effects against nerve damage. A rat model of the superior cervical ganglion block (SCGB) was created instead of SGB, and facial blood flow, as well as sympathetic nervous system function, were measured. Methods: A vertical incision was made on the left side of the neck of a Wistar rat, and a 5-mm resection of the superior cervical ganglion was performed at the back of the bifurcation of the internal and external branches of the left common carotid artery. Blood flow in the skin at the mandibular angle and mean facial temperature were measured using a laser-Doppler blood flow meter and a thermographic camera, respectively, over a 5-week period after the block. In addition, the degree of ptosis and miosis were assessed over a period of 6 months. Results: The SCGB rat showed significantly higher blood flow at the mandibular angle on the block side (P < 0.05) for 3 weeks, and significantly higher skin temperature (P < 0.05) for 1 week after the block. In the SCGB rat, ptosis and miosis occurred immediately after the block, and persisted even 6 months later. Conclusions: SCGB in rats can cause an increase in the blood flow that persists over 3 weeks.