Ultrasound-guided dextrose injection treatment for chronic myofascial pain syndrome: A retrospective case series

SYMPATHETIC NERVE ENTRAPMENT POINT INJECTION AS AN ADJUVANT TREATMENT FOR INTRACTABLE CLUSTER HEADACHE: A CASE REPORT

BACKGROUND

Cluster headache (CH) is characterized by severe unilateral pain ranging from the orbital to the temporal regions with ipsilateral autonomic manifestations. Although most patients respond to drugs or oxygen inhalation, some do not. In this case report, we introduce sympathetic nerve entrapment point injection (SNEPI), a new adjuvant treatment for CH.

CASE REPORT

We introduce two CH patients who did not respond well to pharmacological treatment or 100% oxygen inhalation, but who improved after SNEPI. Patient 1, a 42-year-old man, visited the Emergency Department (ED) with severe periorbital right frontal headache accompanied by ipsilateral rhinorrhea, conjunctival injection, and eyelid edema. The symptoms did not fully respond to drugs or oxygen inhalation, but improved after SNEPI into the tender point of the splenius capitis (SC) muscle; there was no further pain for 1 month thereafter. Patient 2, a 26-year-old woman, presented to the ED complaining of severe headache in the right supraorbital-temporal-occipital region with ipsilateral lacrimation and conjunctival congestion. The patient was taking various drugs for CH, but there was no improvement; the symptoms improved dramatically after SNEPI into the tender points of the SC and paraspinal deep muscles (levels T1-2), and the pain was well managed with reduced drug doses for 3 months. Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This? CH can cause severe acute pain, and sometimes pharmacological treatment or oxygen inhalation is not effective. SNEPI, which is inexpensive and can be easily performed, may be considered as an adjuvant treatment for intractable CH in the ED.

Effect of Perineural Dextrose Injection on Ulnar Neuropathy at the Elbow: A Randomized, Controlled, Double-Blind Study

OBJECTIVE

To compare perineural dextrose injection efficacy in the treatment of ulnar neuropathy at the elbow with a control group.

DESIGN

Prospective, double-blind, randomized, control study.

SETTINGS

Training and Research Hospital Participants: The study was completed with 40 patients with ulnar neuropathy at the elbow Intervention: Normal saline (0.9% NaCl) was injected to the control group (n=20; mean age=38.1 ± 10.7 years; median duration of symptoms = 4.5 months), while 5% dextrose (D5W) was injected to the dextrose group (n=20; mean age=43.6 ±13.5 years; median duration of symptoms = 5 months), perineurally under ultrasound guidance twice at two-week intervals. US-guided perineural injection of 1 cc each was administered into the ulnar nerve, 2 cm and 4 cm distal to the medial epicondyle, at the level of the medial epicondyle, and 2 cm and 4 cm proximal to the medial epicondyle. Amount of total fluid injected was 5 cc.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)

At baseline, weeks 2, 4, and 12, the patients were evaluated with the Visual Analog Scale for pain and the Disabilities of the Arm Shoulder and Hand (Quick-DASH) questionnaire for disability. Electrophysiological evaluation was performed with ulnar nerve conduction studies, and the ulnar nerve cross-sectional area (CSA) was measured on ultrasonography.

RESULTS

The improvements in pain, disability, ulnar motor nerve velocity and CSA in the dextrose group were superior to those in the control group, especially at weeks 4 and 12 (p<0.001, using independent-samples t-test).

CONCLUSION

Perineural D5W may be an effective alternative therapy for those with ulnar neuropathy at the elbow for up to the 12^th week.