• 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.

• 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%.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.40 no.11
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• pp.752-758
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• 2007

Background: Thoracic sympathetic block surgery is a safe and effective procedure for palmar hyperhydrosis, and this maintains sufficient moisture and prevents compensatory hyperhidrosis. To avoid compensatory hyperhidrosis, the authors performed sympathetic block surgery just above the R4 level to maintain sympathetic tone affecting the caudal area. Material and Method: A total of 71 subjects (45 males and 26 females) were categorized into two groups. Group 1 (31 patients, mean age: 25.5 years) had clips placed both on the upper and lower part of R4 sympathetic ganglion, and group 2 (40 patients, mean age: 25.9 years) underwent clipping of the upper part of R4. Telephone surveys were done to collect data on 8 categories, and the average follow up interval was 24.9 months (group 1) and 18.9 months (group 2). Result: For group 1, 41.9% experienced no sweating and 48.4% re-plied they experienced some sweating depending on the surrounding conditions. Group 2 showed that 60% experienced no sweating and 35% replied they experienced some sweating depending on the surrounding conditions, 58.1% in group 1 experienced sweating right after the surgery, and 40.0% in group 2 experienced the same. Group 1 (38.1%) and group 2 (37.5%) replied they experienced no hand dryness and more patients in group 2 than in group 1 had hand dryness, but without uncomfortable symptoms. 71.0% (group 1) and 62.5% (group 2) replied they had no compensatory hyperhidrosis or related symptoms. One patient in group 1 and two in group 2 reported they regretted undergoing the procedure. The regions of compensatory hyperhidrosis were the back, thigh and chest in group 1 and the group 2 reported the back, chest, and abdomen in the order of frequency. Fewer incidences of the gustatory hyperhidrosis were noted in group 2. Most of the patients were satisfied with their treatment. Conclusion: Clipping the upper part of the R4 ganglion or R4 sympathetic block are both effective for treating palmar hyperhidrosis and these treatments decrease the occurrence or symptoms of compensatory hyperhidrosis. The upper R4 sympathetic block procedure is easier and safer with fewer incidences of gustatory hyperhidrosis and a higher percentage of patient satisfaction.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.101-104
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• 1998

Backgrouds: Twent five years have passed since the opening of the first pain clinic in korea, in 1973 at Yonsei University Hospital. The number of pain clinics are gradually increasing in recent times. It is important to plan for future pain clinics with emphasis on improving the quality of pain management. Therefore we reviewed the patients in our hospital to help us in planning for the future of our pain clinic. Methods: We analyzed 2656 patients who had visited our Kim Chan Pain Clinic, accordance to age, sex, disease, and type of treatment block, from July 1996 to August 1997. Results: The prevalent age group was in the fifties, 27.3%, seventy years and older compromised 9.2%. The most common disease were as follows: lower back pain(46.2%); cervical and upper extremities pain(23.1%); trigeminal neuralgia(7.2%); and hyperhydrosis(5.8%) Both nerve blocks and medication were prescribed as treatment. Lumbar epidural block(16.3%) and stellate ganglion block(15.6%) were the most frequent blocks performed among various nerve blocks. Among nerve block under C-arm guidance, lumbar facet joint block(24.4%) and lumbar root block(22.5%) were performed most frequently. Trigeminal nerve block(18.4%), thoracic(17.0%) and lumbar sympathetic ganglion block(11.4%) were next most prevalent blocks performed frequent block. Conclusions: Treatments at our hospital were focused on nerve blocks and medications prescriptions. Nerve blocks are of particular importance in the diagnosis and treatment of chronic pain. However in future, to raise the quality of pain management, we need to fucus on a multidisciplinary/interdisciplinary team approach.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.9
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• pp.813-817
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• 1999

Background: Conventional thoracoscopic thoracic sympathectomy or sympathicotomy is an effective method in treating localized hyperhidrosis; however, this may result in a postoperatively embarrassing compensatory hyperhidrosis or facial anhidrosis in the treatment of palmar hyperhidrosis. We modified the conventional sympathicotomy by limiting the extent of nerve transection. The purpose of this study was to assess the result of the limited thoracoscopic sympathetic nerve transection in hyperhidrosis. Material and Method: From May to August 1998, 17 patients underwent limited transection of the sympathetic nerve. For 9 patients with facial hyperhidrosis, we transected only the interganglionic fiber between the first and the second ganglion, whereas the conventional method cuts two interganglionic fibers. Eight patients with palmar hyperhidrosis underwent limited transection of the interganglionic fiber between the second and third ganglion. Result: Sixteen patients had improved symptom postoperatively. There was a recurred facial sweating in 1 patient 1 month after the operation. Among the 9 facial hyperhidrosis patients, postoperative compensatory hyperhidrosis was severe in 4, moderate in 4 and minimal in 1. But in 8 cases of palmar hyperhidrosis compensatory hyperhidrosis was moderate in 3, and minimal in 1, none in 4. Facial sweating was not disturbed postoperatively in all of the palmar hyperhidrosis patients. Conclusion: Limited sympathetic nerve transection is a practical and less invasive method for the treatment of localized hyperhidrosis and may reduce the incidence of compensatory truncal hyperhidrosis and facial anhidrosis in case of palmar hyperhidrosis.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.33 no.10
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• pp.817-822
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• 2000

Video assisted thoracic sympathectomy or sympathicotomy is a safe and effective therapy for the treatment of palmar hyperhidrosis with immediate symptomatic imporvement. However the degree of satisfaction may diminish with time due to cmpensatory sweating or excessive hand dryness. Therefore by comparing and assessing the degree of symptomatic improvement or compensatory sweating following sympathectomy or sympathicotomy at various levels we aim to determine the optimal level of sympathetic nerve block which will result in minimal side effects and maximal benefit. Material and Method: Among 194 patients having undergone video assisted thoracic sympathectomy or sympathicotomy between January 1996 and June 1999, 137 patients who responded to either telephone interview or questionnaire were included in the current study. The patients were divided into three groups. Group I(n=61) ; patients having undergone T2,3,4 sympathectomy group II(35) ; patients having undergone T2 sympathicotomy and group III(41) ; patients having undergone limited T2 sympathicotomy which consist of block of interganglionic neuronal fiber on the third rib. The parameters studied comprised of pre- and post-operative palmar temperature change treatment satisfaction the degree of compensatory sweating or discomfort from palmar dryness postoperative complication and changes in plantar sweating Result : There was no difference in age and sex among the groups and the mean postoperative elevation in palmar temperature was 21.59$^{\circ}C$ without any differences among the groups. Patients expressing satisfaction were 65.6%, 62.9% and 90.24% in groups I, II and III, respectively(p<0.05) Moderate to severe compensatory sweating was present in 65.6% 51.4%, and 24.39%, in group I, II, and III, respectively(p<0.05) Slight but comfortable amount of palmar humidness was expressed in decreasing order group III(41.6%) group I(24.6%) and group II(5.7%) (p<0.05) Ineffectiveness or recurrence was present in 5patients in group I(8.2%) 1 patient in group II(2.9%) and none in group III. With regards to plantar sweating decrease in sweating was expressed in 43 patients(31.4%) while similar degree of sweating in 61 patients(44.5%) and increase in sweating in another 33 patinets(24.1%) Conclusion : Limited T2 sympathicotomy resection of the lower interganglionic neuronal fiber of the second sympathetic ganglion on the third rib showed immediate effect in palmar hyperhidrosis and caused lesser compensatory sweating and hand dryness.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.399-402
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• 1996

Endoscopic transthoracic sympathectomy (ETS) has recently become estabilished as a successful treatment for severe palmar and axillary hyperhidrosis. Descriptions have been published of neurolytic, operative and alternative endoscopic procedures involving thermocoagulation, laser coagulation, or or nonvideo-assisted ganglionectomy using equipment not widely available, with low morbidity and excellent results. All methods have advantage and disadvantages. A 19-year-old male who suffered from severe hyperhidrosis on face, palms and axillary areas, has been initially treated with stellate ganglion block in other pain clinic. He was transfered to our pain clinic for endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy. The patient was intubated left side 34 Fr. double lumen tube and positioned left semi-lateral position for right sympathectomy. Right side pneumothorax was created by clamping the ipsilateral side of the double lumen tube and aspiration of air. 11-mm trocar was introduced through incision at the third intercostal space in anterior axillary line, and then additional two 11-mm and 5-mm trocar was introduced through second and fifth intercostal space in mid axillary line. The lung was gently retracted and the parietal pleura over the heads of the appropriate ribs excised using 5-mm sharp insulated coagulating microprocesss. The T4, T3, and T2 ganglions, as well as accompanying rami communicantes, and other branchs arising from upper thoracic nerves to the brachial plexus and surrounding tissues were carefully dissected, coagulated. During sympathectomy, skin temperature of middle was continuously monitored. Elevation of palmar skin temperature intraoperatively indicated an adequate sympathectomy with a definite therapeutic effect. A No. 28 Fr. thoracotomy tube was introduced through a troca under video guidance, placed under water seal after the lung was reinflated. the controlateral side was performed same procedure. After bilateral sympathectomy, chest tubes were removed, and then, he was discharged 2 days after operation with great satisfaction. The ETS provides a well-tolerated, cost-effective alternative to thoracic sympathectomy for primary hyperhidrosis and sympathetic mediated neuropathic pain disorder. And T2 ganglion is considered the key ganglion for the treatment of primary hyperhidrosis. The low incidence of compensatory sweating may by explained by the limited extent of the sympathectomy.