Regional anesthesia and pain medicine
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · Apr 2017
Ultrasound-Guided Glossopharyngeal Nerve Block: A Cadaver and a Volunteer Sonoanatomy Study.
Glossopharyngeal nerve (GPN) blocks are usually performed by topical, intraoral, or peristyloid approaches, which carry significant complication risks due to the proximity of important neurovascular structures. This study presents a proof of concept for a new ultrasound (US)-guided technique, which would block the GPN distally, in the parapharyngeal space, away from the immediate vicinity of high-risk collateral structures. ⋯ Based on our anatomical results in cadavers and healthy volunteers, we submit that successful and safe blockade of the distal GPN at the pharyngeal wall level is technically feasible under US guidance.