• Sean W Mulvaney, James H Lynch, Kristine L Rae Olmsted, Sanjay Mahadevan, and Kyle J Dineen.
• Department of Military and Emergency Medicine, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA.
• Mil Med. 2024 Nov 5; 189 (11-12): e2573e2577e2573-e2577.

PurposeThe purpose of the study was to determine whether performing ultrasound-guided, bilateral stellate ganglion blocks (SGBs; performed on subsequent days) improved traumatic brain injury (TBI) symptoms.MethodsA retrospective chart review was conducted for the time period between August 2022 and February 2023 to identify patients who received bilateral, 2-level (C6 and C4) SGBs for PTSD symptoms but who also had a history of TBI. Neurobehavioral Symptoms Inventory (NSI) scores were collected at baseline, 1 week, and 1 month post-treatment in 14 males and 9 females.ResultsOut of 23 patients, 22 showed improvement in their NSI scores. NSI baseline average score was 42.7; the average score at 1 week post-treatment was 18.8; 1 month post-treatment was 20.1. This represents a 53% improvement in the NSI score between baseline and 1 month.ConclusionThe use of bilateral, 2-level SGBs may be indicated in treating patients with PTSD symptoms with concomitant diagnoses of mild-to-moderate TBI.© The Association of Military Surgeons of the United States 2024.

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