Article ID: 18-0041
A 34 year-old woman, diagnosed with herpes zoster along the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve, showed severe zoster associated pain (ZAP) of left lower jaw, auricle and tragus. Stellate ganglion block alleviated the pain of lower jaw but strong allodynia of the auricle and tragus was remained. The ultrasound-guided auriculotemporal block was improved the allodynia significantly and the allodynia disappeared after the third block administration. For managing ZAP, when attempting to provide sensory nerve blockage in the auriculotemporal region, we recommend choosing the auriculotemporal block for the periphery and the shallow layer first, followed by the mandibular block or auriculotemporal block at the deep layer. The ultrasound-guided auriculotemporal block may reduce the amount of local anesthetic required and provide the desired effect safely and securely.
