Stellate ganglion block is extensively performed in pain closing to treat a diversity of diseases.
Stellate gnglion phenol neurolysis, however, has not been not popular because of risk and complications such as: permanent horner's syndrome, hoarseness, pneumothorax and intravascular or intraspinal injection.
But Racz recently performed stellate ganglion panglion phenol neurolysis successfully, under fluoroscopic guide, minus significant complication.
Three patients were rcently treated at our pain clinic by repeated stellate ganglion block with local anesthetics.
Patients showed immediate signs of improvement but prolonged pain relief was not achieved. Therefore we reported to performing stellate ganglion phenol neurolysis following Racz's technique.
We successfully treated: two cases of reflex sympathetic dystrophy of the upper extremity,
and a case of postherpetic neuralgia of jaw, neck and upper chest wall, by stellate ganglion phenol neurolysis, devoid of any significant complications.
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