Abstract
Eight patients were studied in whom a lesion within the central nervous system caused constant pain and hyperpathia. Blockade of the sympathetic supply to the periphery was carried out in each patient by stellate ganglion block or intravenous infusion of guanethidine 15 mg in 30 ml saline into a limb on the affected side. On almost every occasion the pain and hypersensitivity were reduced, sometimes completely. Thus chronic pain and hyperpathia arising from a lesion in the central nervous system may be abolished by blocking the sympathetic supply to the periphery; this effect may be achieved when not all the peripheral nerves of the affected region have had their sympathetic nerve supply blocked. Such blockade may be worth repeating in the hope of achieving lasting relief of the intractable pain.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Hannington-Kiff J. G. Intravenous regional sympathetic block with guanethidine. Lancet. 1974 May 25;1(7865):1019–1020. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(74)90418-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- KIBLER R. F., NATHAN P. W. Relief of pain and paraesthesiae by nerve block distal to a lesion. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1960 May;23:91–98. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.23.2.91. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Loh L., Nathan P. W. Painful peripheral states and sympathetic blocks. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1978 Jul;41(7):664–671. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.41.7.664. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- MONTGOMERY B. M., KING W. W., Jr Hemiplegic migraine: a case with paroxysmal shoulder-hand syndrome. Ann Intern Med. 1962 Sep;57:450–455. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-57-3-450. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Procacci P., Francini F., Zoppi M., Maresca M. Cutaneous pain threshold changes after sympathetic block in reflex dystrophies. Pain. 1975 Jun;1(2):167–175. doi: 10.1016/0304-3959(75)90100-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]