• Journal of The Korean Dental Society of Anesthesiology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.45-50
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• 2011

Bell's palsy is an isolated facial paralysis of sudden onset caused by a neuritis of the seventh nerve within the facial canal. It occurs often in the adult man with a history of recent exposure to local cold, such as sleeping next to an open window, or in some cases it occurs after infections of the nasopharynx or masticator spaces. Especially, this neuropathy have linked with the major collagen disorders (diabetes mellitus). A segmental demyelination develops rapidly, with vascultitis in microinfarcts and ischemia to the nerve segment. The authors experienced about the bizarre neurological symptom of Bell's palsy after inferior alveolar nerve block anesthesia and TMJ dislocation in diabetic mellitus. The early and correct consultation with the multiple medical and dental departments was important to prevent the inadequate care & medicolegal problems.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.157-160
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• 2001

Facial nerve paralysis(or Bell's palsy) which commonly occurs unilaterally, gives rise to paralysis of facial expression muscle. This condition is classified into symptomatic facial nerve paralysis due to intracranial tumor, post operative trauma, etc. and idiopathic facial nerve paralysis. To explain the etiology of idiopathic facial nerve paralysis, many hypothesis including ischemic theory, viral infection, exposure to cold, immune theory etc. were suggested, but there is no agreement at this point. The method to evaluate the facial nerve paralysis, when it occurs, consists of three stage scale method, image thechnics like CT and MRI, laboratory test to examine the antibody titers of viral infection, neurophysiologic test to evaluate the degree and prognosis of paralysis. Treatment includes medication, stellate ganglion block(SGB), surgery, physical therapy and other home care therapy. In medication, systemic steroids, vitamins, vasodilating-drug and ATP drugs were used. SGB was also used repeatedly to attempt the improvement of circulation and to stimulate the recovery of nerve function. Physical therapy including electric acupuncture stimulation therapy(EAST) and hot pack was used to prevent the muscle atrophy. When No response was showed to this conservative therapies, surgery was considered. After treating two patients complaining of Bell's palsy with medication(systemic steroids) and EAST, favorable result was obtained. so author report the case of facial nerve paralysis.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.97-100
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• 1997

We treated a 56 year old male ailing of painful herpetic eruption on his 2nd, 3rd and 4th left cervical spinal segment. On the 18th day, patient also suffered an abrupt left facial palsy, accompanied with ongoing postherpetic neuralgia even though the skin eruption had been cured. This patient visited our pain clinic on his 46th day of illness and was teated with continuous cervical epidural block for 9 days, and stellate ganglion block plus oral analgesics and antidepressant for 12 days. The combination of treatments resulted in marked improvement of facial palsy and postherpetic neuralgia. A possible explanation of facial palsy accompanied with herpes zoster on cervical spinal segment could be related to Hunt's hypothesis that geniculate ganglion forms a chain connecting the high cervical ganglion below. Another possibility may be related to a compression injury of the facial nerve by long-term severe edema on the soft tissue of the face, the periauricular area and parotid gland around the facial nerve, and edema on the facial nerve itself emerging out from the cranium.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.205-210
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• 2009

Purpose: Corrugator supercilii muscle pulls eyebrow to inferomedial direction and produces the vertical component of the glabellar line formation. Current techniques for eliminating of glabellar frown include direct resection of corrugators and botulinum toxin injection. Muscle resection in endoscopic face lift procedure is relatively complex and has many disadvantages ranging from possible nerve injury, postoperative edema, pain and a long recovery period. The Botox treatment on the other hand is much more simple in technique but has a short duration of action. The authors have attempted new ways of finding improved treatment of the glabellar frown by selectively blocking of motor nerves innervating the corrugator supercili muscle by using radiofrequency ablation technique. Methods: A total of 80 patients were recruited in our study during the period between Feb. 2007 to June 2008. A probe was introduced from the supraorbital ridge and advanced to the corrugator supercilii muscle. Nerve stimulator was then used to locate the nerve innervating the corrugator and radiofrequency ablation of the nerve was done. Results: In all patients, there were marked improvement in glabellar frown after treatment. There were no reported cases of any relapses during the follow up period. No complication was noted such as facial nerve injury. No patient complained of any adverse symptoms other than slight discomfort due to swelling of the operation site. Conclusion: The treatment of glabellar frown lines using selective nerve block with radiofrequency ablation was not only less invasive but also excellent in surgical outcomes.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.93-97
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• 2001

Facial nerve palsy is not a serious disease, but it can be both upsetting and disabling for patients. More than half of the lesions of facial nerve palsy fall into the category termed Bell's palsy. It is very rare to find a representative case of bilateral Bell's palsy. Here we report the changes of infrared thermographic findings in bilateral Bell's palsy treated with a stellate ganglion block (SGB). A 45-year-old female patient who had a right facial palsy which developed 2 weeks before. Steroid administration and acupuncture was not effective and so she was referred to pain clinic. The right facial palsy was cured after 19th right SGB. Twenty eight days after the onset of the right facial palsy, left facial palsy also developed and cured completely with a left SGB. Serial infrared thermograms were performed. The hypothermias on the affected side improved symmetrically by the end of the treatment.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.251-253
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• 2013

Inferior alveolar nerve block obtained maximum anesthetic effect using a small dose of local anesthetic agent, which also has low a complication incidence. Complications of an inferior alveolar nerve block include direct nerve damage, bleeding, trismus, temporary facial nerve palsy, and etc. Among them, the major iatrogenic complication is dental needle fracture. A fragment that disappears into the soft tissue would be hard to remove, giving rise to a legal problem. A 31-year-old woman was referred for the removal of a broken needle, following an inferior alveolar nerve block. Management involved the removal of the needle under local anesthesia with pre- and peri-operative computed tomography scans.

• 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.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.11 no.2
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• pp.326-331
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• 1998

Facial nerve paralysis is a common pain clinical diagnosis. But ipsilateral or contralateral recurrent facial paralysis is found in about 2.6~19.5% of facial paralysis and especially bilateral facial paralysis is rare. While idiopathic facial paralysis is the most common diagnosis, a comprehensive evaluation must be completed prior to this diagnosis in patients with bilateral facial paralysis. A representative case of bilateral alternating facial paralysis treated with stellate ganglion block (SGB) is presented. A 57 years old male patient who had the onset of a right facial paralysis 7 months ago visited pain clinic. Five months after the onset of right facial paralysis, as it was improving, he developed a left facial paralysis. He had history of hypertension, diabetus mellitus and pain episode on mastoid process before facial paralysis developed. Electrical test showed incomplete neuropathy on both side and computed tomography (CT) scan was normal. He was treated with SGB, physical theraphy and aspirin medication. After 25 times SGB, he was recovered almost completely.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.49-56
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• 1989

Bell's palsy is not a serious disease and recovery is spontaneous in more half of the patients, but this recovery is long delayed in many instances and the cosmetic effect of an altered facial appearance is psychologically distressing. The etiology is unknown, but Kettle's ischemic hypothesis has been widely accepted. The aim of treatment is to reduce edema and improve circulation to the facial nerve. Stellate ganglion block (SGB) resulted in abolishing cerebral vascular spasm and in increasing cerebral blood flow. Thus, stellate ganglion block is effective in treatment of Bell's palsy. From 1978 to Oct. 1988, we have treated 222 patients (20 patients were recurred cases) with facial palsy by SGB and analysed the effect of SGB. We noticed that SGB was very effective in early repetitive treatment (90% recovery). This study is reported and the literature is reviewed.