• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.390-394
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• 1996

Background: Occipital neuralgia is characterized by pain, usually deep and aching, in the distribution the second and/or third cervical dorsal root. Two broad groups of patients include primary occipital neuralgia with no apparent etiology and secondary neuralgia with structural pathology. Patients with occipital neuralgia can develop autonomic changes and hyperesthesia. In patients who have not improved with conservative treatment, we have carried out various nerve blocks and evaluated the effectiveness. Methods: In a series of 20 occipital neuralgia patients with no apparent etiolgy, we have carried out great occipital nerve blocks with needle TEAS. In patients who have not improved more than 75% on VAS with great occipital block, we have carried out C2 ganglion blocks and in patients who have not improved more than 75% with C2 ganglion block, C3 root blocks, C2/C3 facet joint blocks have been carried out in due order. Results: In 3 patients out of 10 patients who have not improved with great occipital nerve block, C2 ganglion block led to pain relief. A good response of C3 root block was achived in 2 of 7 patients without response to C2 ganglion block and C2/C3 facet joint block led to improvement in 1 of 5 patients without response to C3 root block. Conclusions: Nerve blocks like great occipital nerve block, C2 ganglion block, C3 root block, or C2/C3 facet joint block were effective in the patients who have not improved with conservative treatment.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• 제23권5호
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• pp.461-470
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• 2001

A unhealthy 58-year-old male patient required extraction of left upper second molar due to advanced periodontitis. Lidocaine contained 1 : 100000 epinephrine for left posterior superior alveolar nerve block was administered in the mucobuccal fold above the second molar to be treated at the local private dental clinic. After four hours of posterior superior alveolar block anesthesia, patient feeled double vision and discomfort of eyeball movement. At next day, he complained difficulty of left eyeball movement, vertigo and diplopia. He was referred to our department via local clinic and department of ophthalomology of our hospital. He was treated by medication and eyeball exercise, and then follow up check. The double vision and medial rectus muscle palsy disappeared patially after 2 months of block anesthesia. We described herein an ocular complication of diplopia and inferior rectus muscle palsy after posterior superior alveolar nerve block for extraction of left upper second molar, and review the cause or origin of this case. The autonomic nervous system is presented as the logical basis for the untoward systems of ophthalmologic sign likely to diplopia and inferior rectus muscle palsy, rather then simple circulation of anesthetic solution in the vascular network.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제28권1호
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• pp.22-31
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• 2015

Background: The celiac plexus and splanchnic nerves are targets for neurolytic blocks for pain relief from pain caused by upper gastrointestinal tumors. Therefore, we investigated the analgesic effect of a celiac plexus block versus a splanchnic nerve block and the effects of these blocks on the quality of life six months post-intervention for patients with upper GIT tumors. Methods: Seventy-nine patients with inoperable upper GIT tumors and with severe uncontrolled visceral pain were randomized into two groups. These were Group I, for whom a celiac plexus block was used with a bilateral needle retrocrural technique, and Group II, for whom a splanchnic nerve block with a bilateral needle technique was used. The visual analogue scale for pain (0 to 100), the quality of life via the QLQ-C30 questionnaire, and survival rates were assessed. Results: Pain scores were comparable in both groups in the first week after the block. Significantly more patients retained good analgesia with tramadol in the splanchnic group from 16 weeks onwards (P = 0.005, 0.001, 0.005, 0.001, 0.01). Social and cognitive scales improved significantly from the second week onwards in the splanchnic group. Survival of both groups was comparable. Conclusions: The results of this study demonstrate that the efficacy of the splanchnic nerve block technique appears to be clinically comparable to a celiac block. All statistically significant differences are of little clinical value.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제35권2호
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• pp.202-208
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• 2022

Background: Neurolytic celiac plexus block (NCPB) is a typical treatment for severe epigastric cancer pain, but the therapeutic effect is often affected by the variation of local anatomical structures induced by the tumor. Greater and lesser splanchnic nerve neurolysis (SNN) had similar effects to the NCPB, and was recently performed with a paravertebral approach under the image guidance, or with the transdiscal approach under the guidance of computed tomography. This study observed the feasibility and safety of SNN via a transdiscal approach under fluoroscopic guidance. Methods: The follow-up records of 34 patients with epigastric cancer pain who underwent the splanchnic nerve block via the T11-12 transdiscal approach under fluoroscopic guidance were investigated retrospectively. The numerical rating scale (NRS), the patient satisfaction scale (PSS) and quality of life (QOL) of the patient, the dose of morphine consumed, and the occurrence and severity of adverse events were recorded preoperatively and 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, and 2 months after surgery. Results: Compared with the preoperative scores, the NRS scores and daily morphine consumption decreased and the QOL and PSS scores increased at each postoperative time point (P < 0.001). No patients experienced serious complications. Conclusions: SNN via the transdiscal approach under flouroscopic guidance was an effective, safe, and easy operation for epigastric cancer pain, with fewer complications.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제28권1호
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• pp.61-63
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• 2015

Lymphedema of the upper limb after breast cancer surgery is a disease that carries a life-long risk and is difficult to cure once it occurs despite the various treatments which have been developed. Two patients were referred from general surgery department for intractable lymphedema. They were treated with stellate ganglion blocks (SGBs), and the circumferences of the mid-point of their each upper and lower arms were measured on every visit to the pain clinic. A decrease of the circumference in each patient was observed starting after the second injection. A series of blocks were established to maintain a prolonged effect. Both patients were satisfied with less swelling and pain. This case demonstrates the benefits of an SGB for intractable upper limb lymphedema.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제34권4호
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• pp.509-533
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• 2021

Background: Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a refractory complication of herpes zoster (HZ). To prevent PHN, various strategies have been aggressively adopted. However, the efficacy of these strategies remains controversial. Therefore, we aimed to estimate the relative efficacy of various strategies used in clinical practice for preventing PHN using a network meta-analysis (NMA). Methods: We performed a systematic and comprehensive search to identify all randomized controlled trials. The primary outcome was the incidence of PHN at 3 months after acute HZ. We performed both frequentist and Bayesian NMA and used the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) values to rank the interventions evaluated. Results: In total, 39 studies were included in the systematic review and NMA. According to the SUCRA value, the incidence of PHN was lower in the order of continuous epidural block with local anesthetics and steroids (EPI-LSE), antiviral agents with subcutaneous injection of local anesthetics and steroids (AV + sLS), antiviral agents with intracutaenous injection of local anesthetics and steroids (AV + iLS) at 3 months after acute HZ. EPI-LSE, AV + sLS and AV + iLS were also effective in preventing PHN at 1 month after acute HZ. And paravertebral block combined with antiviral and antiepileptic agents was effective in preventing PHN at 1, 3, and 6 months. Conclusions: The continuous epidural block with local anesthetics and steroid, antiviral agents with intracutaneous or subcutaneous injection of local anesthetics and a steroid, and paravertebral block combined with antiviral and antiepileptic agents are effective in preventing PHN.

• 대한한의학회지
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• 제18권1호
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• pp.218-237
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• 1997

In order to investigate the antihypertentive effects and its mechanism of the Siegesbeckia pubescens aqua-acupuncture treatment, experiments were performed on immediate and continuous antihypertensive effects, vasodilatation-autonomic nerve block, diuretic activity, and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitory activity. The results were as follows; 1. Acupuncture treatment group showed significantly immediate antihypertensive effects in 4 hours after treatment. Normal saline aqua-acupuncture treatment group showed significantly immediate antihypertensive effects in 2, 4 and 6 hours after treatment. Siegesbeckia pubescens aqua-acupuncture treatment group showed significantly immediate antihypertensive effects in 30 minutes, 1, 2, 4 and 6 hours after treatment. 2. Siegesbeckia pubescens aqua-acupuncture treatment group showed significantly continuous antihypertensive effects in 6, 8, 9 and 10 days after treatment. 3. Siegesbeckia pubescens aqua-acupuncture extract solution showed significantly vasodilatatory and sympathetic nerve block effects with concentration of $10^{-6},\;10^{-5},\;10^{-4},\;10^{-3}g/m{\ell}$. 4. Oral administration group of the Siegesbeckia pubescens aqua-acupuncture extract solution didn't show no significantly diuretic effects. 5. Siegesbeckia pubescens aqua-acupuncture extract solution showed 28.8% angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitory activity.

• 대한한방내과학회지
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• 제27권4호
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• pp.798-810
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• 2006

Objectives : This study was designed to investigate heart rate variability(HRV) in patients with abnormality on EKG by power spectrum analysis of HRV. Methods : The patient group consisted of 147 patients diagnosed as abnormal on EKG at the Oriental Medical Hospital of Dong-eui University from November 2003 to September 2005. We divided the patient group into 9 subgroups (bradycardia, arrhythmia, PVC, AF, AV block, RBBB, LVH, cardiac ischemia, LAD ). The control group consisted of 117 patients who were diagnosed as normal on EKG at the same hospital during the same period. We checked HRV of the two groups over 5 minutes and compared the HRV index between groups. Results and Conclusions : In the time domain analysis, SDNN was significantly higher in the PVC and AF groups than control group and RMSSD was significantly higher in the all patient group and the bradycardia, PVC and AF groups than in the control group. In the frequency domain analysis, Ln(LF) was significantly higher in the all patient group and the PVC and AF groups than the control group but lower in the LAD group. Ln(HF) was significantly higher in The all patient group and bradycardia, PVE and AF groups than control group. LF/HF ratio was significantly lower in the all patient group and bradycardia, arrhythmia, AF, AV block and LAD groups than control group. The autonomic nerve system and parasympathetic nerve system were higher in the patient group with abnormal EKG compared with the control group.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• 제11권1호
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• pp.51-54
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• 2008

말기암 환자에서 암성통증 완화와 삶의 질 유지는 여전히 도전과제로 남아있다. 암성 통증 환자에게서 약물치료는 여전히 치료의 중심이 되고 있으나, 약물적 중재도 불구하고 많은 환자에서 적절한 통증 조절 효과를 얻지 못하거나 진통제와 관련된 부작용을 경험하고 있다. 이에 저자들은 복강신경총차단과 하장간막신경총차단 그리고 상하복신경 총차단의 다양한 교감신경차단을 시행하여 통증조절에 성공한 증례를 보고한다.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• 제9권1호
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• pp.36-38
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• 2007

The pathomechanisms involved in both restless legs syndrome (RLS) and complex regional pain syndrome type I (CRPS I) are still controversial whether they are central or peripheral origins. We recently encountered a patient who had an unusual coexistence of both RLS and CRPS I, and both of which showed good responses to sympathetic block. These findings suggest the role of peripheral mechanisms, especially unmyelinated small autonomic fiber, in both RLS and CRPS I.