Clinical Outcomes of Cervical Stellate Ganglion Block in Patients with Secondary Lymphedema: A Pilot Study

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical effect of stellate ganglion block in patients with secondary lymphedema after breast cancer treatment. METHOD: In a prospective clinical trial, the consecutive stellate ganglion block (SGB) was performed every two weeks to 10 patients (Mean age 46.0+/-9.4 (yr)) who was diagnosed as of secondary lymphedema after breast cancer treatment. The parameters were the circumstance of arm and the thickness of skin and subcutaneous tissue of the affected arm measured by ultrasonography. We measured these parameters with baseline value before SGB treatment and repeated the evaluation after each SGB treatment. And the subjective data of satisfaction, softness and improvement were obtained by questionnaires. RESULTS: 10 patients were treated with stellate ganglion block. The mean circumferences of upper arm and forearm after three consecutive SGB treatments reduced significantly upper arm from 31.39 cm to 29.72, forearm from 25.14 cm to 23.64 cm (p <0.05). And the thickness of subcutaneous tissue of upper arm significantly decreased under no- compression measuring technique after three SGB treatments (p <0.05). The compliance of superficial tissue showed significant change with serial procedure. Almost all of the patients had a satisfaction and feeling of softness in their affected arm after treatments. CONCLUSION: The cervical stellate-ganglion block reduced the circumstance and the thickness of arm with lymphedema and satisfied almost lymphedema patients. So this treatment presents a favorable outcome to the breast cancer-related lymphedema patient clinically.