• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.336-339
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• 1996

Stellate ganglion block which usually practiced in pain clinics may combined with hemodynamic changes because it blocks sympathetic nerve chains. We measured the hemodynamic changes with NCCOM3-$R7^{(R)}$ (BOMED, U.S.A.) which applicated bioimpedance method in twenty-two patients. Mean arterial pressure, heart rate, cardiac output, ejection fraction and left ventricle end diastolic volume (LEDV) were measured before stellate ganglion block (control), 1, 3, 5, 10 and 20 minutes after stellate ganglion block with 8 ml of 0.25% bupivacaine. The results were as follows: Mean arterial pressure decreased significantly (p<0.05) in 10, 20 minutes after stellate ganglion block comparing to control, but not clinically significant. Heart rate, cardiac output, ejection fraction and LVEDV showed no significant change compared to control value. These results showed that stellate ganglion block is a safe technique without significant hemodynamic changes.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.120-123
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• 1995

We had undertaken a stellate ganglion block everyday for the treatment of a classic migraine patient who is a twenty seven a year old male. He had experienced a very severe and frequent attack two or three times a month for several years. after ten times of stellate ganglion block, a headache attack occurred mildly. Seventeen times of stellate ganglion block were undertaken totally. Now he feels better. The intensity and the frequency of headache attack are markedly decreased. The pathophysiology and theraphy of classic migraine are unclear. The mechanism of stellate ganglion block for classic migraine treatment is also unknown. However, we think the stellate ganglion block contributes the improvement of hypothalamic blood flow, the recovery of homeostasis, and the weakening of sympathetic overactivity.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.346-349
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• 1998

The technique of the stellate ganglion block is widely used as it is relatively simple and safe. But it can cause severe complications because there are major blood vessels and nerves around the stellate ganglion. We practiced CPR because of the respiratory failure caused by severe hematoma in the neck following the stellate ganglion block. A 46-year-old male patient admitted to ENT department because of the both sudden sensorineural hearing loss that happened after URI. He was referred to Pain Clinic for further evaluation and treatment. We decided to block the stellate ganglion. We injected 6ml of 0.5% mepivacaine on both sides of the stellate ganglion. There were no blood aspiration and abnormal vital signs during the 30 minute observation, either. Three hours after he went to the private room, he had pain and edema in his neck, but no respiratory defficulty. But later, respiratory failure was suddenly followed. So we practiced CPR. We confirmed severe hematomas in the neck through CT scanning. Hematomas is removed and the ruptured blood vessels which is supposed to be muscular branch of vertebral artery is ligated under general anesthesia. The patient was discharged from hospital after the treatment of pneumonia and duodenal ulcer as complications. We recommand you to compress the block site more than five minutes and not to prick with the needle several times at one point to prevent the formation of hematomas.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.125-128
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• 1988

A case of the left stellate ganglion block (SGB) with a warm serration of the left lower extremity in a 25-year-old male soldier is presented. During the Korean War, this patient received a penetrating gun shot wound from the right knee through the left abdominal wall, left upper arm and left thumb. He was evacuated to the a marine corps surgical hospital where amputation of the left thumb and an end-to-end anatomosis of the left brachial artery were performed. After surgery, left ulnar and median nerve paralysis and causalgia developed and about 9 months later an upper thoracic ganglionectomy was proposed at the Chin-Hae Navel Hospital. Before the ganglionectomy a stellate ganglion block for diagnostic and prognostic purposes was requested by the surgeon. This block was performed by the supraclavicular anterior approach using 10 ml of 2% procaine. The effect of the block including Horner's syndrome was confirmed 5 minute later in this patient. This patient returned to the ward by walking unassisted 10 minutes after the block, and complained of a warm sensation in the left lower extremity 20 minutes later as well as the left upper arm. This warm sensation in the lower extremity following ipsilateral stellate ganglion block indicates that the local anesthetics solution injected tinto the neck spread down to lumbar sympathetic ganalgion along the fascial membrane of the sympathetic chain as a consequence of the 10 minutes walk.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.104-108
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• 2018

Syncope is defined as a transient loss of consciousness and postural tone, characterized by rapid onset, short duration, and spontaneous recovery. Stellate ganglion block (SGB) is a nerve block method that is used for treatment of neuropathic pain in the head, neck and upper extremities, especially trigeminal neuralgia, postherpetic neuralgia and complex regional pain syndrome. SGB can modulate and stabilize the sympathetic nervous system, which prevents it from overexcitation and improves symptoms of syncope. The authors report a patient who was treated for pain and edema of both upper extremities with SGB, then showed improvement in recurrent syncope followed by chest pain and overall quality of life.

• 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.

• 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.11 no.1
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• pp.113-115
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• 1998

Dysmenorrhea(cyclic pain associated with menses) is a frequent disorder, with as many as 50% of young women experiencing the symptom, and up to 10% being unable to function normally for some time each month. The most recent theory of the cause of the pain of dysmenorrhea incriminates uterine ischemia and sensitization of uterine pain fibers resulting from excessive myometrial contractility after prostaglandin stimulation. We administered stellate ganglion block for the treatment of dysmenorrhea and had good results in two cases. From our experience, we recommend the stellate ganglion block may be an effective treatment for a dysmenorrhea.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.278-280
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• 2012

Cholinergic urticaria with acquired generalized hypohidrosis, and its pathophysiology is not well known. Autoimmunity to sweat glands or to acetylcholine receptors on sweat glands has been mentioned as one of the possible etiologies. Systemic steroid therapy, antihistamines, anticholinergics, and avoidance of the stimulatory situations are recommended for treatment. We experienced a case of cholinergic urticaria with acquired generalized hypohidrosis in a patient who had no other associated disease, and the symptoms eased after repeated bilateral stellate ganglion block. Stellate ganglion block normalized the elevated sympathetic tone and may relieve symptoms in patients with this condition.

• Journal of The Korean Dental Society of Anesthesiology
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.173-175
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• 2014

Atypical facial pain is loosely used term to describe some chronic facial pain when the symptoms do not exactly and entirely fit one diagnostic criteria. In many cases of pain disorders, sympathetic system is involved, such as in conditions which symptoms mimic post-herpetic neuralgia or complex regional pain syndrome. We report a case of a patient with atypical facial pain following the reduction of temporomanidbular joint dislocation. The atypical pain which was resistant to analgesic medication was successfully managed with stellate ganglion block. Therefore we suggest that stellate ganglion block can be an effective treatment method for controlling atypical facial pain.