The Efficacy of Stellate Ganglion Blockade in Herpetic Neuralgia: A Case Report

The varicella-zoster virus can reactivate in patients with impaired cell-mediated immunity, resulting in herpes zoster (HZ) and sometimes in herpetic neuralgia (HN). Stellate ganglion blockade (SGB) has been studied for the treatment of HN and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), but its effectiveness in p...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Curēus (Palo Alto, CA) CA), 2023-08, Vol.15 (8)
Main Authors: Asimakopoulos, Thalis A, Gika, Athanasia A, Kekelos, Panayotis S, Kouroukli, Irene C
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analgesics
Anesthesiology
Case reports
Epidural
Nervous system
Pain
Pain Management
Palliative Care
Patients
Post traumatic stress disorder
Systematic review
Ultrasonic imaging
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Summary:The varicella-zoster virus can reactivate in patients with impaired cell-mediated immunity, resulting in herpes zoster (HZ) and sometimes in herpetic neuralgia (HN). Stellate ganglion blockade (SGB) has been studied for the treatment of HN and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), but its effectiveness in preventing PHN in patients with acute HZ is not well-established. Here, we present a case of a 75-year-old woman who underwent SGB for HN of the right upper limb. The patient had been treated with antivirals and various analgesics, but adverse effects due to analgesics led to discontinuation of them. After the first application of SGB, the patient experienced significant pain reduction, and after a second application, complete remission of pain was achieved. Nine months later, the patient remained symptom-free and without PHN. The therapeutic potential of SGB in the treatment of HN and its role in preventing PHN requires further investigation.
ISSN:2168-8184
2168-8184
DOI:10.7759/cureus.43805