• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.374-377
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• 1995

Percutaneous neurolysis of upper thoracic sympathetic ganglion was performed by simultaneously injecting 3 ml of pure alcohol into the $T_2$ and $T_3$ levels after testng with same amount of local anesthetics on the same sites. We experienced poor sympatholytic effect or intercostal neuritis and Horner's Syndrome as the result of complication of thoracic sympathetic ganglion block. In Case 1, in spite of the good testing result, neurolytic block effect was poor. In Case 2, intercostal neuritis occurred, but neuralgia subsided within 3 weeks. In Case 3, Horner's Syndrome occurred for 1 day. To increase the success rate of block and decrease the incidence of complications, good radio-opaque dye appearance and good test block effect should be obtained.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.278-280
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• 1997

Stellate ganglion block has been used to treat diseases such as peripheral vascular disease, sympathetic dystrophy, and various pain syndromes involving the head or arm. Raynaud's disease is a syndrome manifested by attacks of pallor, cyanosis, numbness and pain of the digits in response to cold or emotional change. I report one case who was given Stellate ganglion block using 18G teflon Catheter(4.5 cm in length) for Raynaud's disease. Continuous stellate ganglion block is more convinient to inpatient than repeated needle punctures and may reduce major complications and more useful to patient who needs continuous sympathetic block about one week duration.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.312-318
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• 1995

Stellate ganglion block is extensively performed in pain closing to treat a diversity of diseases. Stellate ganglion phenol neurolysis, however, has not been not popular because of risk and complications such as: permanent horner's syndrome, hoarseness, pneumothorax and intravascular or intraspinal injection. But Racz recently performed stellate ganglion phenol neurolysis successfully, under fluoroscopic guide, minus significant complication. Three patients were recently treated at our pain clinic by repeated stellate ganglion block with local anesthetics. Patients showed immediate signs of improvement but prolonged pain relief was not achieved. Therefore we reported to performing stellate ganglion phenol neurolysis following Racz's technique. We successfully treated: two cases of reflex sympathetic dystrophy of the upper extremity, and a case of postherpetic neuralgia of jaw, neck and upper chest wall, by stellate ganglion phenol neurolysis, devoid of any significant complications.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.363-366
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• 1995

Blockade of the ganglion impar was performed as an alternertive means of managing intractable neoplastic perineal pain of sympathetic origin. We successively treated a patient who had suffered from excessive perianal sweating with ganglion impar block using pure alcohol. Eight months after block, the patient has no complaint of perianal sweating. Ganglion impar block is an effective method in the treatment of excessive perianal sweating as well as perineal pain of sympathetic origin.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.159-163
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• 2016

Orofacial pain is a common complaint of patients that causes distress and compromises the quality of life. It has many etiologies including trauma, interventional procedures, nerve injury, varicella-zoster (shingles), tumor, and vascular and idiopathic factors. It has been demonstrated that the sympathetic nervous system is usually involved in various orofacial pain disorders such as postherpetic neuralgia, complex regional pain syndromes, and atypical facial pain. The stellate sympathetic ganglion innervates the head, neck, and upper extremity. In this review article, the effect of stellate ganglion block and its mechanism of action in orofacial pain disorders are discussed.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.215-218
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• 1996

Frostbite involves freezing of tissues and usually affects the distal aspects of the extremities or exposed parts of the face. such as the ears, nose, chin, and cheeks. It produces tissue injury by ice crystal formation between the cells, cellular dehydration, and microvascular occulsion. There are four degrees of frostbite. First degree is accompanied by erythema and edema; second degree, by vesiculation, blistering, and eschar formation; third degree, by hemorrhagic blistering and bluish gray discoloration; and fourth degree, by injury to subcutaneous tissue, muscle, tendon, and bone leading to mottled, dry, black, and necrotic changes. We successfully treated 2 patients suffering from frostbite by performing sympathetic ganglion block with pure alcohol. We concluded sympathetic ganglion block is one of the most effective treatments for frostbite.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.250-253
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• 1997

The perineum is comprised of diverse anatomic structures with mixed sympathetic and somatic innervation. The coccyx is innervated by the coccygeal nerves and branches of the fifth sacral root. Recently, ganglion impar block has been introduced as an alternative means of managing intractable pain of sympathetic origin, coccygodynia by trauma, tenesmus and perineal hyperhydrosis. We managed a 59-year-old female patient who had suffered from perineal pain by metastasis of cervical cancer. Approach to impar ganglion through the anococcygeal ligament was impossible because her coccyx was hyperflexed anteriorly by old fracture. But we could perform ganglion impar block successfully by approach through the separation of sacrum and coccyx.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.33-37
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• 2008

Background: Cerebral blood vessels are innervated by sympathetic nerves from the superior cervical ganglion (SCG). The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the neuroprotective effect of superior cervical sympathetic ganglion block in rats subjected to permanent focal cerebral ischemia. Methods: Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats (270-320 g) were randomly assigned to one of three groups (control, lidocaine and ropivacaine). A brain injury was induced in all rats by middle cerebral artery occlusion with a nylon thread. The animals of the local anesthetic group received $30{\mu}l$ of 2% lidocaine or 0.75% ropivacaine in the SCG. Neurologic scores were assessed 24 hours after brain injury. Brain samples were then collected. The infarct and edema ratios were measured by 2.3.5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining. Results: There were no differences in the death rates, neurologic scores, or infarction and edema ratios between the three groups. Conclusions: These findings suggest that superior cervical sympathetic ganglion block may not influence the brain damage induced by permanent focal cerebral ischemia in rats.

• 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.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.