Abstract
We report the effect of second cervical ganglion block (C2 ganglion block) on ophthalmic zoster-associated pain. Eleven patients with ophthalmic zoster-associated pain received C2 ganglion block. The results were compared with those of 94 patients who received spinal root blocks for spinal zoster-associated pain. Included were patients aged ≥ 50 years who received nerve blocks for zoster-associated pain ‹ 60 days after the onset of symphtoms of herpes zoster infection. The intensity of ophthalmic zoster-associated pain decreased after C2 ganglion block in 64 % of the patients. In 27 % of the patients, the decrease in pain was › 50 %. These results were not statistically different from those after spinal root blocks for spinal zoster-associated pain. There were no statistically significant differences in the rates of pain disappearance among ophthalmic, cervical, thoracic, or lumbosacral zoster-associated pain after C2 ganglion block or spinal root block. We conclude that C2 ganglion block decreases ophthalmic zoster-associated pain as does spinal root block for spinal zoster-associated pain.
