Treatments
12. Neurolytic Blocks
Objective: The injection of nerve-destructive (neurolytic) agents such as dehydrated alcohol, phenol, or glycerol blocks pain messages to sympathetic ganglia (i.e. stellate ganglion and celiac plexus). The end goal is to relieve or diagnose pain. Other neurolytic pain block methods include intravenous guanethidine or hot (radiofrequency) and cold (cryo) ablation. Indicated For: Cancer pain, or pain in the cranial nerves (see The Nervous Systems).
Treatment Procedure: We use local anesthesia (lidocaine or novocaine) or regional anesthesia or analgesia (i.e. morphine or methadone).
Risks: Significant risks of side effects and complications, including respiratory distress, neuritis, gastric hypermotility, infection, bleeding.