• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.223-225
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• 1996

Pain arising from disorders of the viscera and somatic structures within the pelvis and perineum is a frequent cause of discomfort and disability, especially among women. Recently, blockade of the ganglion impar(ganglion of Walther) has been introduced as an alternative means of managing intractable perineal pain of sympathetic origin. The first report of interruption of the ganglion impar for relief of perineal pain appeared in 1990. We successfully treated a patient who had suffered from intermittent severe coccygodynia with ganglion impar block.

• 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.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.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.415-418
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• 1996

The first reported the neural blockade of ganglion impar for pain control of perineal pain in 1990 by Plancarte and his fellows. they used 6ml of 10 percent phenol. but the point of issues, same as other neurolytics, are that it is impossible to check and control its spreading, so it might be possible to destruct the coccygeal plexus and sacral nerve, and also it has only short action time. Because of these problems, it could be very dangerous to attempt this procedure especially not for relieving the pain on cancer terminal patient, but for the sympathectomy of ganglion impar on the other purpose. We used the RF generator which had the control ability to point out the destructive lesion accurately. inserted We made the small burr hole on the sacrum near the sacrococcygeal junction directly, through the hole, and performed thermocoagulation to the ganglion impar.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.301-306
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• 2019

Background: Ganglion impar blockade is a reliable and effective treatment option used in patients with coccydynia. Our primary objective was to specify the role of corticosteroids in impar blockade. We compared applications of local anesthetic with the local anesthetic + corticosteroid combination in terms of treatment efficiency in patients with chronic coccydynia. Methods: Our study was a prospective randomize double-blind study. The patients were divided into 2 groups after randomization. The first group (group SL) was made up of patients where a corticosteroid + local anesthetic were used during ganglion impar blockade. In the second group (group L) we used only local anesthetic. We evaluated numeric rating scale (NRS) and Beck depression scale, which were employed before the procedure and in 1st and 3rd months after the procedure. Results: Seventy-three patients were included in the final analysis. We detected a significantly greater decrease in NRS values in the 1st month in group SL than in group L (P = 0.001). In the same way, NRS values in the 3rd month were significantly lower in the group with steroids (P = 0.0001). During the evaluation of the Beck test, we detected significantly greater decreases in the 1st month (P = 0.017) and 3rd month (P = 0.021) in the SL group than in the L group. Conclusions: Ganglion impar blockade decreases pain in the treatment of chronic coccydynia and improve depression. Addition of steroids in a ganglion impar blockade is required for treatment response that should accumulate over a long period of time.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.263-266
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• 2005

The ganglion impar is a solitary retroperitoneal structure at the caudal end of the paravertebral sympathetic chain. Block of this ganglion has been advocated as a means of managing intractable perineal pain. In 1990, Plancarte et al performed a neurolytic block of the ganglion impar using 4-6 ml of 10% phenol through the intergluteal skin over the anococcygeal ligament. However, technical difficulties are encountered with the placement of the needle while performing this technique, with complications from the injection of phenol also being a possibility. In 1995, a modified approach for blocking the ganglion impar through the sacrococcygeal ligament was introduced by Wemm and Saberski. We used a radiofrequency (RF) lesion generator to create a controlled and localized lesion with a lower incidence of neural damages compared to chemical neurolysis. RF thermocoagulation of the ganglion impar through the sacrococcygeal ligament was performed on a 70-year-old male patient with constant anal pain using a curved TEW electrode. The patient has been relieved of his pain, without serious complication. Therefore, this technique may be an easier and safer approach, which is associated with fewer chances of complications.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.419-422
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• 1996

Pain arising from pelvic viscera and perineum is frequently associated with discomfort and disability and caused by local trauma, inflammation and malignancy within the pelvis. Although various interventions have been proposed for the management of intractable perineal pain, their efficacy and applications are limited. The ganglion impar is a solitary retroperitoneal structure located at the level of the sacrococcygeal junction that marks the terminations of sympathetic chains. We propose that blockade of the ganglion impar is an effective method in the management of patient suffered from perianal pain due to advanced rectal cancer.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.254-257
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• 1997

Ganglion impar lies immediately anterior to the sacrococcygeal junction and blockade of the ganglion is used to treat anorectal and perineal pain. Although the technique introduced by Plancarte et at is widely practised, the bent needle is sometimes difficult to position precisely and patients find the procedure painful. We modified this approach of block of ganglion impar by positioning the needle into the sacrococcygeal junction and using the loss of resistance technique. With the patient in the lateral position, a skin wheal was raised at 1-1.5cm below the sacral hiatus. Twenty-three gauge short needle was directly placed into the sacrococcygeal junction with aid of fluoroscopic guidance. From 1 cm behind the anterior margin of the vertebral body in lateral view, we used the loss of resistance technique to confirm the retroperitoneal space. We found this modified approach easier to perform during six blocks for three patients with anorectal or perineal pain. Our modified approach through the sacrococcygeal junction may provide opportunity for wider administration of this procedure because of its simple technique, reduced pain during procedure and decreased risk of infection.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.65-69
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• 2010

Chronic perineal pain is an often encountered problem, which produces a great degree of functional impairment and frustration to the patient and a challenge to the treating physician. The reason for this problem is that the region contains diverse anatomic structures with mixed somatic, visceral and autonomic innervations affecting bladder and bowel control and sexual function. A blockade of nociceptive and sympathetic supply to the perineal region, supplied through the ganglion impar has been shown to benefit patients with chronic perineal pain. Several options to this block have been described that chemical neurolysis, radiofrequency ablation etc. Although the analgesic effect of Botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) has long been considered secondary to its action for muscle relaxation, BoNT-A also affects the release of the neurotransmitters that are involved in pain perception. We describe a patient who was successfully given ganglion impar block with BoNT-A.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.226-228
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• 1996

Rectal tenesmus is a persistent, painful and ineffectual sensation of straining at stool or opening of the bowels. The pain is usually spasmodic in nature and most commonly encountered in patients with carcinoma of the rectum or other pelvic organs. In 1988, Bristowand Foster reported that patients with severe spasmodic painful tenesmus were relieved with chemical sympathectomy. In 1990, Plancarte introduced block of Ganglion impar. This technique is proposed as an alternative means of managing localized perineal pain of sympathetic origin. Ganglion impar block was performed on a 54-year-old female patient when analgesic or psychotropic drugs failed to control the symptoms of post-traumatic severe spasmodic painful tenesmus. Postoperatively, patient was free of tenesmoid pain for only 7 days. We then performed neurotomy by RF lesion generator which provided complete pain relief.