Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science

Case Reports

Use of stellate ganglion block for treatment of recurrent syncope followed by chest pain: Young-ung Kim, Yong-joon Shin, Young Woo Cho; Yeungnam Univ J Med. 2018;35(1):104-108. Published online June 30, 2018; DOI: https://doi.org/10.12701/yujm.2018.35.1.104

Abstract PDF: Syncope is defined as a transient loss of consciousness and postural tone, characterized by rapid onset, short duration, and spontaneous recovery. Stellate ganglion block (SGB) is a nerve block method that is used for treatment of neuropathic pain in the head, neck and upper extremities, especially trigeminal neuralgia, postherpetic neuralgia and complex regional pain syndrome. SGB can modulate and stabilize the sympathetic nervous system, which prevents it from overexcitation and improves symptoms of syncope. The authors report a patient who was treated for pain and edema of both upper extremities with SGB, then showed improvement in recurrent syncope followed by chest pain and overall quality of life.

Prolonged blepharoptosis following repeated stellate ganglion block in a patient with brachial plexopathy after thoracoscopic surgery.: Kangil Kim, Sang Hyun Lee, Eun Hui Seo, Young Woo Cho; Yeungnam Univ J Med. 2014;31(2):135-138. Published online December 31, 2014; DOI: https://doi.org/10.12701/yujm.2014.31.2.135

Abstract PDF: A 34-year-old female was suffered from pain and numbness of right arm for 2 months after undergoing a thoracoscopic procedure for a posterior mediastinal mass that was diagnosed as neurilemmoma. The patient was diagnosed as a complex regional pain syndrome type 2 with brachial plexopathy developed during thoracoscopic excision of posterior mediastinal mass, and stellate ganglion block (SGB) with 0.2% ropivacaine 10 mL was performed every 3-4 days. The patient revealed slightly prolonged blepharoptosis as Horner syndrome accompanied after every SGB and recovered. However, following the 23rd SGB, the blepharoptosis persisted and patient was recovered spontaneously from blepharoptosis after about 12 months. The possibility that the persistent blepharoptosis might be caused by brachial plexopathy related to patient's pathology or surgical manipulation and/or repeated SGB. If Horner syndrome occurs, its etiology should be assessed, and it would be necessary to explain and to assure the patient the possibility of recovery spontaneously from the complication within a year, without any sequelae.

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