title: Lumbar sympathetic block for pain relief in two patients with interstitial cystitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Interstitial cystitis (IC) is characterized clinically by lower abdominal pain, pain during urination, and increased frequency of urination. Treatment of the symptoms in IC remains challenging. We report effective treatment using lumbar sympathetic block for 2 patients with IC.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 63-year-old and 78-year-old woman were diagnosed with IC. Medical therapy with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), anticholinergics, and hydrodistention of the bladder failed to improve their symptoms. Subsequently, a continuous lumbar epidural block using 1% mepivacaine was used in these patients. A transient reduction of the symptoms in both patients was achieved. A lumbar sympathetic block with a neurolytic agent produced almost complete, and long-lasting relief of their symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lumbar sympathetic block using a neurolytic agent produced long-lasting pain relief in 2 patients with IC. Reg Anesth Pain Med 2001;26:271-273.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Shimane Medical University, 89-1 Enya-cho, Izumo 693-8501, Japan. kdoi@shimane-med.ac.jp
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Doi
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nikai
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Morimoto
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakatani
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sakura
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D001340:Autonomic Nerve Block; D018856:Cystitis, Interstitial / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008161:Lumbosacral Region; D008619:Mepivacaine; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D059408:Pain Management
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D008619:Mepivacaine