Effectiveness of Stellate Ganglion Block Under Fuoroscopy or Ultrasound Guidance in Upper Extremity CRPS.

INTRODUCTION: Stellate Ganglion Block (SGB) is an effective technique which may be used to manage upper extremities pain due to Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), in this study we tried to evaluate the effectiveness of this procedure under two different guidance for management of this syndrome.

AIM: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of ultrsound guide SGB by comparing it with the furoscopy guided SGB in upper extermities CRPS patients in reducing pain & dysfuction of the affected link.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fourteen patients with sympathetic CRPS in upper extremities in a randomized method with block randomization divided in two equal groups (with ultrasound or fluoroscopic guidance). First group was blocked under fluoroscopic guidance and second group blocked under ultrasound guidance. After correct positioning of the needle, a mixture of 5 ml bupivacaine 0.25% and 1 mL of triamcinolone was injected.

RESULTS: These data represent no meaningful statistical difference between the two groups in terms of the number of pain attacks before the blocks, a borderline correlation between two groups one week and one month after the block and a significant statistical correlation between two groups three month after the block. These data represent no meaningful statistical difference between the patients of any group in terms of the pain intensity (from one week to six months after block), p-value = 0.61. These data represent a meaningful statistical difference among patients of any group and between the two groups in terms of the pain intensity (before the block until six months after block), p-values were 0.001, 0.031 respectively.

CONCLUSION: According the above mentioned data, in comparison with fluoroscopic guidance, stellate ganglion block under ultrasound guidance is a safe and effective method with lower complication and better improvement in patient's disability indexes.