Relief of recurrent upper extremity sympathetically-maintained pain with contralateral sympathetic blocks: evidence for crossover sympathetic innervation?
A case of recurrent right upper extremity sympathetically maintained pain was completely relieved with contralateral sympathetic blocks. Yet Ipsilateral blocks produced no change in pain. Surgical sympathectomy of the contralateral thoracic sympathetic chain produced significant and persistent pain relief. This case, to our knowledge the first such reported, raises questions regarding the accepted sympathetic innervation of the upper extremity.
Valley
M A
MA
509th Medical Group/SGH, Whiteman AFB, Missouri 65305, USA.
Rogers
J N
JN
Gale
D W
DW
D000328:Adult; D001132:Arm / Q000294:innervation*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012008:Recurrence; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects*