Abstract
The number of hemodialysis patients who have diabetic neuropathies is increasing, No effective remedy for these neuropathies has as yet been established. Therefore, care of these patients demands prudent treatment.
We performed stellate ganglion block (SGB), one of the sympathetic ganglion blocks, on two hemodialysis patients with diabetic neuropathies. The patients have improved in terms of orthostatic hypotension, hypotension during hemodialysis, diarrhea and abnormal perspiration, all of which were caused by autonomic neuropathy. Good curative effects on pain, numbness and temperature sense, which reflect painful neuropathy, were also obtained. The method used was the injection of 1% Carbocain (7ml), for about 1 minute, into the stellate ganglion. The frequency was three slow injections per week and the frequency of injections was decreased to 1 or 2 times after the iritial 25 injections. To our knowledge, this is the first report of SGB treatment being used for hemodialysis patients suffering from diabetic neuropathies.
