• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.91-95
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• 2008

In human, sympathetic nerve blocks with local anesthetics are widely used to treat a variety of diseases in the innervating regions. However, its procedure in dogs is difficult to approach and process repeatedly because of anatomically location. Therefore, this study was designed to develop a new technique of sympathetic nerve block in beagle dogs. Fifteen healthy beagle dogs, which did not show any neurologic abnormalities and disease, were used for the study. Radiograghs were taken after injected radiopaque material mixed with 2% lidocaine at the cranial cervical ganglion and injected methylene blue using the same percutaneous technique to verify the reliability of this newly developed technique. The successful block rate of the cranial cervical ganglion block was present in 80% of all dogs and the stained cranial cervical ganglions were shown in all dogs. The results show that this new technique of the cranial cervical ganglion block is a reliable and simple method that can be used for clinical studies in dogs.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.217-221
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• 1994

Percutaneous neurolysis of upper thoracic sympathetic ganglion was performed in 40 patients by simultaneously injecting 3 ml of pure alcohol into the T2 and T3 levels after 3 ml of injection of local anesthetic agent on the same sites. Using a skin temperature probe, finger tip temperatures were measured on the index finger ipsilateral to the nerve block before block, 15 and 30 minutes after test block, and 30 minutes after alcohol block. Alcohol block was performed immediately after 30 minutes test block. Finger tip temperatures obtained at 30 minutes post alcohol block and test block and the differences in the temperatures measured before and 30 minutes after alcohol block were shown to be statistically important as potential indicators for prediciting long term outcome of therapy for palmar hyperhidrosis using this technique. These results demonstrate that the palmar temperature monitoring method is sufficiently sensitive to predict the outcome of nerve block during and after thoracic sympathetic ganglion block.

• 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.7 no.1
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• pp.84-87
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• 1994

Retrospective analysis, of 1,734 patients treated for nerve block from October 1991 to March 1994. Largest percentage of patients were in the 50 year old range, with a distribution of 44.9% male and 55.1% female. Treatments were for ailments of: Low Back Pain 17.3%, Multiple Contusion 10.5%, and Cancer 10%. Most common nerve block was epidural block 38.6%, followed by stellate ganglion block 38.4%, intercostal block 5.4%, and suprascapular nerve block 5.2%. Nerve block under fluorscopic guide were as follows: facet joint block 34.1%, lumbar sympathetic ganglion block 13.6%, and celiac plexus block 12.9%.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.247-250
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• 2000

Recently, some authors reported that discogenic low back pain should be regarded as a referred pain in respect of neural pathway. The afferent pathways of discogenic low back pain is transmitted mainly by sympathetic afferent fibres from the sinuvertebral nerves in the second lumbar nerve root. This pain arises from the lumbar intervertebral discs, and it had been transmitted mainly through the sympathetic afferent fibres contained in the second lumbar spinal nerve root. Second lumbar dermatome corresponds to the low back area. We experienced a case of low back pain which could not be controlled by conventional therapy and progressed wax and wane. The CT finding showed bulging disc between $L_4$ and $L_5$ and spinal stenosis in $L_4$ area. And epiduroscopic feature showed severe adhesion in $L_4$, $L_5$ and $S_1$. After we blocked $L_2$ root, pain score decreased 10 to 2. Therefore, the $L_2$ root block may be a useful diagnostic procedure as well as provide therapeutic value.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.186-190
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• 1991

Causalgia is an extremely incapacitating disease often associated with a major peripheral nerve injury, which is characterized by sustained diffuse burning pain, allodynia and hyperpathia. The condition follows traumatic nerve lesions, often combined with vasomotor and sudomotor disturbances and later trophic changes. While sympathectomy has been the classical treatment of causalgia, others nonsurgical therapies such as regional sympathetic block, IV regional sympathetic block, oral adrenolytic drugs, transcutaneous electrical nerve simulation, physical theraphy, cryotheraphy and psychotheraphy have been used. Causalgia is rare in children and early treatment is controversial because of the possibility of many different complications following aggressive treatment. This is a report of a 6-year-old girl with causalgia suffered after a right posterior tibial nerve injury following an intragluteal injection of an antipyretics. We successfully treated this syndrome with continuous epidural block using 0.5% lidocaine and no specific complication was encountered.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.241-245
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• 1997

Persistent hiccup is defined as duration lasting longer than 48 hours. Reflex arc of hiccup is divided into three parts : afferent, central, efferent. Afferent portion of the neural pathway of hiccup formation is composed of vagus nerve, phrenic nerve, and sympathetic chain arising from T6 to T12. Efferent limb is phrenic nerve. Hiccup center is located in brain stem, midbrain, reticular system and hypothalamus. Persistent hiccup is very difficult to treat by conventional methods. We performed cervical epidural block of the phrenic nerve root for three patients suffering from persistent hiccup. The therapeutic effect was perfect. The mechanism of the cervical epidural block is not yet defined however it is thought to block the efferent nerve fibers and suppress the reflex arc of hiccup. We conclude cervical epidural block is relatively safe and very effective for treating persistent hiccup.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.108-112
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• 1992

Pain from pelvic cancer is very difficult to manage because it's vague ness and bilateral nature. Furthermore, nerve blocks in this area are dangerous because sensory afferent nerves from pelvic viscera are adjacent to nerves that regulate bowel and bladder control, and motor nerve of lower extremities'. Bilateral lumbar sympathectomy has been used for malignant pelvic pain with little risk of neurologic complication. However it is not a specific block for pelvic visceral pain, because the lumbar sympathetic chain does not innervate pelvic viscera in a direct manner. Therefore the potentials of lumbar sympathectomy for pelvic visceral pain are attributed to caudad diffusion of neurolytic agents to the smperior hypogastric plexus. I have experienced 3 cases of superior hypogastric plexus neurolysis per se without any significant complications.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.96-99
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• 1994

Causalgia is a symptom complex usually consisting of burning pain, hyperesthesia and atrophy of the involved extremity. The pain may be aggravated by contact, motion of extremity or emotional excitement. It occurs following incomplete nerve injury. The patient was a 58-year-old male with a 3-year history of causalgic pain of left lower extremity. He had multiple fractures with degloving injury of left lower extremity in an automobile accident. The pain was exacerbated by movement, and he experienced knee joint and ankle joint contracture. The patient's pain decreased after continuous epidural block with 1% lidocaine and 0.25% bupivacaine. He also received lumbar sympathetic ganglion alcohol block resulting in much improvement of level of pain and walking disturbance.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.96-98
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• 1992

In early stages, cancer is not usually painful. However, many patients with recurrent or metastatic cancer eventually experience pain, which becomes progressively worse. Chemotherapy, sympathetic surgery, physical therapy and nerve block can be used to control cancer pain. A 60-year old patient had severe pain of the soft palate due to squamous cell carcinoma. We successfully treated this patient with maxillary nerve block using pure alcohol by a lateral approach. Four months after maxillay nerve block, the patient is still pain free.