Southern medical journal
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Southern medical journal · Oct 2006
Clinical TrialEfficacy of stellate ganglion blockade for the management of type 1 complex regional pain syndrome.
The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of stellate ganglion blockade (SGB) in patients with complex regional pain syndromes (CRPS I) of their hands. ⋯ The results of our study demonstrate that an inverse relationship exists between hand perfusion and the duration of symptoms of CRPS I. On the other hand, a positive correlation exists between SGB efficacy and how soon SGB therapy is initiated. A duration of symptoms greater than 16 weeks before the initial SGB and/or a decrease in skin perfusion of 22% between the normal and affected hands adversely affects the efficacy of SGB therapy.