Stellate ganglion block catheter for paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity: calming the 'neuro-storm'

BACKGROUND

Paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity (PSH) is an autonomic disorder affecting patients with severe acquired brain injury characterized by intermittent sympathetic discharges with limited therapeutic options. We hypothesized that the PSH pathophysiology could be interrupted via stellate ganglion blockade (SGB).

CASE PRESENTATION

A patient with PSH after midbrain hemorrhage followed by hydrocephalus obtained near-complete resolution of sympathetic events for 140 days after SGB.

CONCLUSION

SGB is a promising therapy for PSH, overcoming the limitations of systemic medications and may serve to recalibrate aberrant autonomic states.

Stellate ganglion block catheters for refractory electrical storm: a retrospective cohort and care pathway

BACKGROUND

Electrical storm can be challenging to treat, requiring a multidisciplinary team to coordinate medical management and invasive procedures. As the stellate ganglion provides efferent sympathetic outflow to the myocardium, stellate ganglion blocks (SGB) can be used to combat ventricular arrhythmias that arise from sympathetic overactivity. Data are scarce regarding SGB catheters as a treatment for electrical storm. We reviewed our use of SGB catheters for refractory electrical storm using our pathway collaboratively developed by critical care, cardiology, and regional anesthesia teams.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent an SGB for electrical storm between January 2020 and April 2022 in our cardiovascular intensive care unit. The primary outcome was the sustained cessation of electrical storm for 24 hours.

RESULTS

Upon chart review, 27 patients were identified and 11 met inclusion criteria. Cessation of electrical storm for 24 hours was achieved in 90% (n=10) of patients after left SGB. Similarly, 90% (n=10) had no documented episodes of ventricular arrhythmias requiring intervention within 6 hours after SGB.

CONCLUSIONS

SGBs can interrupt or treat electrical storm. SGB catheters allow for prolonged arrhythmia cessation without repeated blocks and decrease the risk of repeat episodes of ventricular arrhythmias.

Comparison of the feasibility and safety of infrazygomatic and suprazygomatic approaches to pterygopalatine fossa using virtual reality

BACKGROUND

Injections of local anesthetics into pterygopalatine fossa gained popularity for treating acute and chronic facial pain and headaches. Injury of maxillary artery during pterygopalatine fossa injection can result in pseudoaneurysm formation or acute bleeding. We aimed to identify the optimal approach into pterygopalatine fossa by comparing feasibility and safety of suprazygomatic and two infrazygomatic approaches.

METHODS

We analyzed 100 diagnostic CT angiographies of cerebral arteries using 3D virtual reality. Each approach was determined as a target point in pterygomaxillary fissure and an array of outermost edges trajectories leading to it. The primary outcomes were feasibility and safety for each approach. The secondary outcome was the determination of maxillary artery position for each approach to identify the safest needle entry point.

RESULTS

Suprazygomatic approach was feasible in 96.5% of cases, while both infrazygomatic approaches were feasible in all cases. Suprazygomatic approach proved safe in all cases, posterior infrazygomatic in 73.5%, and anterior infrazygomatic in 38%. The risk of maxillary artery puncture in anterior infrazygomatic approach was 14.7%±26.4% compared to 7.5%±17.2%. in posterior infrazygomatic with the safest needle entry point in the upper-lateral quadrant in both approaches.

CONCLUSION

The suprazygomatic approach proved to be the safest, however not always feasible. The posterior infrazygomatic approach was always feasible and predominantly safe if the needle entry point was just anterior to the condylar process. The anterior infrazygomatic approach was always feasible, however least safe even with an optimal needle entry point just anterior to the coronoid process.

Ultrasound-Guided Suprazygomatic Nerve Blocks to the Pterygopalatine Fossa: A Safe Procedure

OBJECTIVES

Large-scale procedural safety data on pterygopalatine fossa nerve blocks (PPFBs) performed via a suprazygomatic, ultrasound-guided approach are lacking, leading to hesitancy surrounding this technique. The aim of this study was to characterize the safety of PPFB.

METHODS

This retrospective chart review examined the records of adults who received an ultrasound-guided PPFB between January 1, 2016, and August 30, 2020, at the University of Florida. Indications included surgical procedures and nonsurgical pain. Clinical data describing PPFB were extracted from medical records. Descriptive statistics were calculated for all variables, and quantitative variables were analyzed with the paired t test to detect differences between before and after the procedure.

RESULTS

A total of 833 distinct PPFBs were performed on 411 subjects (59% female, mean age 48.5 years). Minor oozing from the injection site was the only reported side effect, in a single subject. Although systolic blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen saturation were significantly different before and after the procedure (132.3 vs 136.4 mm Hg, P < 0.0001; 78.2 vs 80.8, P = 0.0003; and 97.8% vs 96.3%, P < 0.0001; respectively), mean arterial pressure and diastolic blood pressure were not significantly different (96.2 vs 97.1 mm Hg, P = 0.1545, and 78.2 vs 77.4 mm Hg, P = 0.1314, respectively). Similar results were found within subgroups, including subgroups by sex, race, and indication for PPFB.

DISCUSSION

We have not identified clinically significant adverse effects from PPFB performed with an ultrasound-guided suprazygomatic approach in a large cohort in the hospital setting. PPFBs are a safe and well-tolerated pain management strategy; however, prospective multicenter studies are needed.

Splanchnic nerve neurolysis via the transdiscal approach under fluoroscopic guidance: a retrospective study

Background

Neurolytic celiac plexus block (NCPB) is a typical treatment for severe epigastric cancer pain, but the therapeutic effect is often affected by the variation of local anatomical structures induced by the tumor. Greater and lesser splanchnic nerve neurolysis (SNN) had similar effects to the NCPB, and was recently performed with a paravertebral approach under the image guidance, or with the transdiscal approach under the guidance of computed tomography. This study observed the feasibility and safety of SNN via a transdiscal approach under fluoroscopic guidance.

Methods

The follow-up records of 34 patients with epigastric cancer pain who underwent the splanchnic nerve block via the T11-12 transdiscal approach under fluoroscopic guidance were investigated retrospectively. The numerical rating scale (NRS), the patient satisfaction scale (PSS) and quality of life (QOL) of the patient, the dose of morphine consumed, and the occurrence and severity of adverse events were recorded preoperatively and 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, and 2 months after surgery.

Results

Compared with the preoperative scores, the NRS scores and daily morphine consumption decreased and the QOL and PSS scores increased at each postoperative time point (P < 0.001). No patients experienced serious complications.

Conclusions

SNN via the transdiscal approach under flouroscopic guidance was an effective, safe, and easy operation for epigastric cancer pain, with fewer complications.

Pharmacological and non-pharmacological strategies for preventing postherpetic neuralgia: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

Background

Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a refractory complication of herpes zoster (HZ). To prevent PHN, various strategies have been aggressively adopted. However, the efficacy of these strategies remains controversial. Therefore, we aimed to estimate the relative efficacy of various strategies used in clinical practice for preventing PHN using a network meta-analysis (NMA).

Methods

We performed a systematic and comprehensive search to identify all randomized controlled trials. The primary outcome was the incidence of PHN at 3 months after acute HZ. We performed both frequentist and Bayesian NMA and used the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) values to rank the interventions evaluated.

Results

In total, 39 studies were included in the systematic review and NMA. According to the SUCRA value, the incidence of PHN was lower in the order of continuous epidural block with local anesthetics and steroids (EPI-LSE), antiviral agents with subcutaneous injection of local anesthetics and steroids (AV + sLS), antiviral agents with intracutaenous injection of local anesthetics and steroids (AV + iLS) at 3 months after acute HZ. EPI-LSE, AV + sLS and AV + iLS were also effective in preventing PHN at 1 month after acute HZ. And paravertebral block combined with antiviral and antiepileptic agents was effective in preventing PHN at 1, 3, and 6 months.

Conclusions

The continuous epidural block with local anesthetics and steroid, antiviral agents with intracutaneous or subcutaneous injection of local anesthetics and a steroid, and paravertebral block combined with antiviral and antiepileptic agents are effective in preventing PHN.

Effectiveness of virtual reality immersion on procedure-related pain and anxiety in outpatient pain clinic: an exploratory randomized controlled trial

Background

The study investigated virtual reality (VR) immersion in alleviating procedure-related pain in patients with chronic pain undergoing fluoroscopy-guided minimally-invasive intervention in a prone position at an outpatient clinic.

Methods

In this prospective randomized controlled study, 38 patients undergoing lumbar sympathetic ganglion block were randomized into either the VR or the control group. In the VR group, procedure-related pain was controlled via infiltration of local anesthetics while watching a 30-minute VR hypnotic program. In the control group, the skin infiltration alone was used, with the VR device switched off. The primary endpoint was an 11-point score on the numerical rating scale, indicating procedure-related pain. Patients’ satisfaction with pain control, anxiety levels, the need for additional local anesthetics during the procedure, hemodynamic stability, and any adverse events were assessed.

Results

Procedure-related pain was significantly lower in the VR group (3.7 ± 1.4) than in the control group (5.5 ± 1.7; P = 0.002). Post-procedural anxiety was lower in the VR group than in the control group (P = 0.025), with a significant reduction from pre-procedural anxiety (P < 0.001). Although patients’ satisfaction did not differ significantly (P = 0.158) between the groups, a higher number of patients required additional local anesthetics in the control group (n = 13) than in the VR group (n = 4; P = 0.001). No severe adverse events occurred in either group during the study.

Conclusions

VR immersion can be safely used as a novel adjunct to reduce procedural pain and anxiety during fluoroscopic pain intervention.