|
Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), formerly called, reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD), is a painful condition of the upper and lower extremities. It sometimes follows a traumatic event. When it involves the hand, symptoms include throbbing, burning pain that worsens when exposed to cold. Even a light touch to the hand may be painful. Treatment includes stellate ganglion blockade, (described below), often in combination with anti-seizure medications and tricyclic antidepressant medications. Narcotic analgesics are usually not the first line of treatment for pain from CRPS.
Stellate ganglion blockade: The needle is placed near the site seen above and numbing medicine injected
What to Expect
You will be given an intravenous catheter (IV) and taken to the procedure room. Monitors will be placed on you to track your vital signs. Your neck will be cleaned and draped under sterile conditions. Using x-ray (fluoroscopy) as guidance, the needle will be placed in your neck and the dye injected to help determine if the needle is in the right position. Medication will then be injected. You should let the doctor know if you feel a pain down your arm or any other unusual sensation during the injection period.
Following the Procedure
You may experience brief soreness and sometimes the procedure causes your eyelid to droop on the side that was injected. Your nose may be stuffy and your face may feel flush on this side. You should know within 30 minutes whether the injection is helping your pain. It is not unusual to experience temporary difficulty swallowing so drink fluids slowly for 8 hours after the injection.
Lumbar Sympathetic Block is a treatment option for CRPS involving the leg and/or foot.
|
