• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.268-270
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• 1996

We treated a patient who experienced motor weakness and sensory change on left lower extremity after thoracic sympathetic ganglion block with pure alcohol. The following factors were suspected of contributing to neurologic complication: (1) ischemia of spinal cord, (2) infection, (3) re-expression and aggravation of pre-existing neurologic disease, (4) improper position. Patient spontaneously recovered from neurologic complication with conservative therapy.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.121-132
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• 2000

This study was carried out to determine the influencing of electrical stimulation to cervicothoracic sympathetic ganglion(CTSG; stellate ganglion) u the sympathetic tone. For the purpose of this study. the stimulation was given to both the interferential current stimulation(ICS: AMF 100Hz) group consisting of 10 person(males 8, females 2) and the transcutaneous nerve electrical stimulation(TENS: 100 Hz) group of 10(males 7, females 3) in the right side of the trachea with probe electrodes. Then. the temperature changes on the surfaces of the forehead. cheek, neck and internal ear of cephalocervix, which is subject to the influence of the cervicothoracic sympathetic ganglion, and the palm. which is the end of the upper limbs. measured before. immediately alter. 10 minutes after and 20 minutes after experiment. The results are summarized as follows. 1. The emergence of remarkable Horner's symptoms which appear due to the changes of the tone of cervicothoracic sympathetic ganglion was not seen. However, in the interferential current stimulation group there were two felt the sense of warmth in the facial region and one person who felt it in the upper limbs, and in the transcutaneous nerve electrical stimulation group there was each one person who felt the sense of warmth in the facial region and in the upper limbs, respectively. Both groups have each one person who felt the sense of oppression in the eyelids. Three persons of the interferential current stimulation group and two persons of the transcutaneous nerve electrical stimulation group have the sense of hoarse voice or numbness in the neck. These are the symptoms that appeared during stimulation, so it is difficult for them to be considered as the direct effects of the changes of the tone of cervicothoracic sympathetic ganglion. 2. The t-test was performed to determine the significance between the right, which is the experimental side, and the left, which is the non-experimental side. Significance between the right, which is the experimental side, and the left, which is the non-experimental side. Significant changes were seen in the necks of the interferential current stimulation group and in the cheeks and internal ears of the transcutaneous nerve electrical stimulation immediately after experiment(P<.05). And the interferential current stimulation group showed a very high significance in the cheeks immediately after experiment and in the necks ten minutes after experiment(p<.01). Therefore, it could be seen that the electrical stimulation had an influencing on the changes of body temperature of the cephalocervix. 3. In both the interferential current stimulation group and the transcutaneous nerve electrical stimulation group, the forecheads, checks and necks of the cephalocervix in the experimental side(right) rather than the non-experimental side(left) had mostly a statistically significant rise in temperature immediately after experiment. The one-way ANOVA was carried out to determine the temperature change of on the surface of the body with the lapse of time; before, immediately after, ten minutes after and tewenty minutes after experiment. But no statistical significance was found from both the right and left sides.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.210-214
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• 1996

Thoracic sympathetic ganglion block(TSGB) with alcohol is a traditional method for treating a variety of disease at pain clinics. But it is a difficult block to perform requiring both skill and experience. Therefore, we performed a thoracic endoscopic cauterization to evaluate the efficacy of this method. A patient suffering sever forearm and hand pain due to radius fracture of the right arm, one and half years earlier, was referred to several different orthopaedic department of various hospitals with continued aggravated symptoms. He was then admitted to our hospital's orthopaedic department. Our diagnosis, confirmed by thermography, revealed reflex sympathetic dystrophy. Patients was therefore referred to the pain clinic where treatment consisted of endoscopic thoracic sympathetic cauterization under general anesthesia. Patient was intubated with Robertashow 37 Fr. double lumen tube left sided. Left lateral and slight head up position was applied to make lesion side up. Incisions were made to penetrate trocas 5 mm diamether on 4 th intercostal space along mid axillary line and midclavicular line. Negative pressure suction on ipsilateral lung and CO2 insufflation under 10 mmHg was applied to reduce lung size. Cauterization on thoracic sympathetic chain at T3 level was done under endoscoic guide. 24 Fr. chest tube was inserted. Patient's symptoms cleared and he was satisfied with the results of this treatment.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.206-209
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• 1996

Thoracic sympathetic nerve block has a wide range of therapeutic applications which clinicians utilize neurolytics or perform operative sympathectomy. All methods have advantages and disadvantages. We performed "thoracic sympathetic ganglion cauterization" using resectoscope as it is less invasive and more effective than traditional operative methods. Successful procedures were performed involving 2 cases of idiopathic hyperhidrosis and 1 case of sympathetically maintained pain on chest and upper extremity. We experienced failure with one case of idiopathic hyperhidrosis due to severe pleural adhesion. There was also a case of complication of periganglional hemorrhage and parenchymal lung perforation which we successfully treated.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.165-171
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• 1990

The reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome (RSDS) consists of sustained burning pain and tenderness, vasomotor instabilitiy, swelling, occasional functional instability, trophic skin change and edema of extremity following trauma, peripheral nerve injury, spinal cord injury, infection, burn and other etiologic factors. The most important thing in RSDS is to start the treatment as soon as the disease was diagnosed. Most patients with RSDS respond dramatically and permanently to sympathetic blocks if treatment is instituted before irreversible trophic changes. The characteristic radiological finding in RSDS is a patchy osteoporosis in the cancellous bone. Periarticular hyperactivity is seen in RSDS by Tc99m bone scan. We have managed 4 cases of RSDS. The methods of management and effects are as follows: 1) In case 1, 28 lumbar sympathetic blocks in both sides were performed. The patient did not complain of pain or tenderness and the limping improved. 2) In case 2, 7 lumbar sympathetic blocks were performed, but we could find only a slight improvement in the symptoms. 3) In case 3, 8 stellate ganglion blocks were carried out. The patient refused the treatment of RSDS because of the lack of rapid improvement. 4) In case 4, total 64 stellate ganglion blocks were carried out; the patient was permanently improved.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.26-31
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• 2001

Background: Sympathetic blocks with local anesthetics are used to differentiate sympathetically- maintained pain (SMP) from sympathetically-independent pain (SIP). However, systemic lidocaine is also used in the management of neuropathic pain. Therefore, there may be possibility of a false positive response in relieving their pain by systemic absorption of lidocaine following a diagnostic sympathetic block in patients with SIP. In this study, we measured the plasma lidocaine concentrations after a stellate ganglion block (SGB) using three volumes of 1% lidocaine. Methods: This prospective, crossover study was performed in 3 patients who experience sudden hearing loss and in 4 volunteers. Each person received SGB three times using three different volumes (6 ml, 12 ml and 16 ml) of 1% lidocaine at one week intervals. SGB was performed using a 23 G butterfly needle via a paratracheal approach by two persons. Two ml of venous blood was obtained from a prepared contra-lateral sided venous route at 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 20 and 60 min after SGB. Plasma lidocaine level was analyzed by immunoassay. Results: Mean plasma lidocaine concentrations correlated well with the volumes of 1% lidocaine used in SGB; larger volumes showed higher concentrations (P < 0.01). Mean peak plasma concentrations were $1.08{\pm}0.18$ in 6 ml, $1.90{\pm}0.47$ in the 12 ml and $2.74{\pm}0.67{\mu}g/ml$ in the 16 ml groups (P < 0.01). The mean time to reach peak plasma concentration was not significantly different between the three groups. Conclusions: The peak plasma lidocaine concentrations in SGB using large volume were found to be similar to that of IV lidocaine infusion in the management of neuropathic pain. These data suggest that diagnostic sympathetic block may result in many false positive responses for SMP. Part of its effect may be related to systemic local anesthetic absorption and not to a sympathetic block. Therefore, physicians may be required to use optimal volumes and minimal concentration of local anesthetic in diagnostic sympathetic block procedures and also make a careful assessment of the performance of a permanent sympathetic block.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.240-245
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• 2005

Herein is described the successful treatment of complex regional pain syndrome type II with the combination treatment of spinal cord stimulation and radiofrequency thermocoagulation of the lumbar sympathetic ganglion. A 62 years old male patient, suffering from CRPS type II in his left lower extremity, visited our pain clinic. Medication and nerve blockade produced only slight improvement in his symptoms and signs. Therefore, a linear type spinal cord simulator was inserted into the thoracic epidural space, using a non-surgical percutaneous approach, with the cephalad lead located at the T11 level. Two months later, the repositioning of the electrode to the T12 level for more effective pain control, with radiofrequency thermocoagulation of lumbar sympathetic ganglion also performed at the left L2 and 3 levels for the control of trophic change. These resulted in significant pain relief and decreased trophic change, with no complications, after which the patient was able to resume a normal life.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.182-188
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• 2003

Background: Although ramicotomy (division of the rami communicantes of the thoracic sympathetic ganglia) is a selective and physiological surgical method for essential hyperhidrosis, it has some problems such as higher recurrence rates and the different surgical results among the patients and between left and right sides in the same individual. As one of the factors that are related to the differences in surgical result and recurrences, we investigated the anatomical variations of the rami communicantes. The purpose of this study is to help develop new surgical methods to decrease surgical differences among the patients or between the left and right sides of the same individual and recurrence rates in the clinical application of ramicotomy. Material and Method: We dissected 118 thoracic sympathetic chains in 59 adult Korean cadavers (male: 33, female: 26) to examine the anatomical variations of the rami communicantes from the second to the fourth thoracic sympathetic ganglia that have major components innervating to the hands. After the dissection of bilateral thoracic sympathetic chains, we compared the anatomy of left and right sides and examined the anatomical variations of rami communicantes. Result: The number and variation of communicating rami connecting the spinal nerves and the second sympathetic thoracic ganglion were much larger than lower levels. There was considerably less variability in the anatomy of the rami communicantes at successive levels. Among the 59 cadavers dissected, only 14.3% (9/59) had similar anatomy of thoracic sympathetic chains at both sides. As the components related to the essential palmar hyperhidrosis, intrathoracic nerve of Kuntz from the second thoracic sympathetic ganglion to the first intercostal nerve or brachial plexus were observed in 55.9% (66/118). The incidence of descending rami communicates from the second thoracic sympathetic ganglion to the third intercostal nerve and from the third thoracic sympathetic ganglion to the fourth intercostal nerve were 49.2% (58/118) and 28.0% (33/118). And the incidence of ascending rami communicates from the third thoracic sympathetic ganglion to the second intercostal nerve and from the fourth thoracic sympathetic ganglion to the third intercostal nerve were 6.8% (8/118) and 3.4% (4/118), respectively. Conclusion: Based on the various anatomical evidences of the rami communicantes from this study, only the ramicotomy at the third sympathetic ganglion level is insufficient for the treatment of the essential palmar hyperhidrosis to decrease the difference of surgical results and recurrences. When one is planning to perform the ramicotomy for the essential palmar hyperhidrosis, it is advantageous to divide the intrathoracic nerve of Kuntz on the second rib and the descending or ascending rami communicantes on the third and the fourth ribs as well as all the communicating rami from the third sympathetic ganglion.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.60-64
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• 1995

Stellate ganglion block is a selective sympathetic blockade affecting the head and neck, and the upper extemity. It is an important method which has been used most frequently in neuro-pain clinic due to its wide range of indications. The authors attermpted to define the minimal volume of local anesthetic which need for successful stellate ganglion block by using 1% mepivacaine HCl mixed with dye. In 40 heathy volunteers, two different volumes, 3 ml in the group 1 (n=20) and 4 ml in the group 2 (n=20), were injected by an anterior paratracheal technique at the sixth cervical vertebral level. We compared the degree in sympathetic blockade by clinical sings and symptoms and also checked the spread range of dye by plain X-ray. With seven criteria for an effective block. mean score was 5.7 in group 2, while 3.4 in group 1. These results suggest that 4 ml of local anesthetic are adequate for a successful stellate ganglion block.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.115-118
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• 2000

Stellate ganglion block is most commonly used in pain clinic because it is an easy procedure and it has broad indications reported that Angina pectoris, tachyarrhythmia and long QT syndrome (LQTS) are indicated. LQTS is a disorder of the abnormalities of cardiac sympathetic innervation and of myocardial repolarization. LQTS is characterized by marked prolongation of the QT interval, often manifestating as syncope, seizures, or sudden death due to polymorphic ventricular tachyarrhythmia known as torsades de pointes. Treatment of symptomatic patients usually begin with beta blocker. The elective treatment of LQTS patients unresponsive to beta blocker is the left cardiac sympathetic denervation. We report a case of LQTS patient who had received stellate ganglion block.