Efficacy of adriamycin injection into the sphenopalatine ganglion under C-arm guidance for the treat-ment of facial postherpetic neuralgia in maxillary branch of trigeminal nerve

Abstract

Objective To observe the clinical effect of adriamycin injection into sphenopalatine gan-glion under C-arm guidance for the treatment of facial postherpetic neuralgia in maxillary branch of trigeminal nerve. Methods Thirty patients with facial postherpetic neuralgia in maxillary branch of trigeminal nerve re-ceived adriamycin injection into sphenopalatine ganglion under C-arm guidance. VAS, QOL, pain relief rate and complications were recorded before and after the treatment and six months after discharge. Results Com-pared with pretreatment, VAS was significantly decreased (P<0.05), and pain relief rate and QOL were signifi-cantly increased (P<0.05). No complications were found in all patients. Conclusion Adriamycin injection 0.33%, 0.3 ml, into the sphenopalatine ganglion under C-arm guidance is a safe and effective method for the treatment of facial postherpetic neuralgia in maxillary branch of trigeminal nerve. Key words: C-arm; Sphenopalatine ganglia; Adriamycin; Neuralgia, postherpetic; Trigemi-nal nerve