Abstract
Stellate ganglion block (SGB) is used in the management of various painful and non-painful medical conditions. The stellate ganglion (also known as the cervicothoracic ganglion) is formed on each side of the neck by the fusion of the inferior cervical ganglion with the first thoracic ganglion. It is located opposite the neck of the first rib. The most common ultrasound-guided approach targets the cervical sympathetic chain at the level of the sixth cervical vertebra. The ultrasound-guided approach to the SGB is thought to provide improved accuracy and safety compared to traditional fluoroscopic and landmark-based approaches.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
Suggested Reading
Abdi S, Zhou Y, Patel N, Saini B, Nelson J. A new and easy technique to block the stellate ganglion. Pain Physician. 2004;7(3):327–31.
Atez Y, Asik I, Ozgencil E, et al. Evaluation of the longus colli muscle in relation to stellate ganglion block. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2009;34:219–23.
Bhatia A, Peng P. Stellate ganglion block. In: Regional nerve blocks in anesthesia and pain therapy. 4th ed. Cham: Spring Publishing; 2015.
Bhatia A, Flamer D, Peng PW. Evaluation of sonoanatomy relevant to performing stellate ganglion blocks using anterior and lateral simulated approaches: an observational study. Can J Anaesth. 2012;59:1040–7.
Drummond PD, Finch PM, Skipworth S, Blockey P. Pain increases during sympathetic arousal in patients with complex regional pain syndrome. Neurology. 2001;57:1296–303.
Flamer D, Seib R, Peng P. Complications of regional anesthesia in chronic pain therapy. Complications of regional anesthesia. Cham: Spring Publishing; 2017.
Gofeld M, Shankar H, Benzon H. Fluoroscopy and ultrasound-guided sympathetic blocks: stellate ganglion, lumbar sympathetic blocks, and visceral sympathetic blocks. In: Essentials of pain medicine. 4th ed. Philadelphia: Elsevier Publishing; 2016.
Huntoon MA. The vertebral artery is unlikely to be the sole source of vascular complications occurring during stellate ganglion block. Pain Pract. 2010;10:25–30.
Kim ED, Yoo WJ, Kim YN, Park HJ. Ultrasound-guided pulsed radiofrequency treatment of the cervical sympathetic chain for complex regional pain syndrome: a retrospective observational study. Medicine (Baltimore). 2017;96:e5856.
Makharita MY, Amr YM, El-Bayoumy Y. Effect of early stellate ganglion blockade for facial pain from acute herpes zoster and incidence of postherpetic neuralgia. Pain Physician. 2012;15(6):467–74.
Peng P. Peripheral applications of ultrasound for chronic pain. In: Benzon HT, Huntoon MA, Narouze S, editors. Spinal injections and peripheral nerve blocks: interventional and neuromodulatory techniques for pain management. 1st ed. Philadelphia: Elsevier; 2011.
Peng P. Ultrasound for pain medicine intervention: a practical guide. Philip Peng Education Series. 2013. iBooks. https://itunes.apple.com/ca/book/ultrasound-for-pain-medicine-intervention-practical/id643092938?mt=11
Soneji N, Peng P. Ultrasound-guided pain interventions – a review of techniques for peripheral nerves. Korean J Pain. 2013;26(2):111–24.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Alshuraim, F.M.M., Flamer, D. (2020). Cervical Sympathetic Trunk. In: Peng, P., Finlayson, R., Lee, S., Bhatia, A. (eds) Ultrasound for Interventional Pain Management. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-18371-4_3
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-18371-4_3
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-18370-7
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-18371-4
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)