title: Effects of lumbar sympathetic ganglion block for a patient with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
abstract: A 59-year-old man with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) received lumbar epidural and sympathetic ganglion blocks to increase regional blood flow and improve his clinical symptoms. After a lumbar epidural block (0.5% mepivacaine), the skin temperature of his affected lower extremities rose by 7.0 degrees C and became close to that of the intact side, and the distance he was able to walk with his cane increased from 2 to 8 m. The clinical effects produced by the lumbar sympathetic ganglion block (99.5% alcohol) were sustained for approximately 8 weeks after the first block and for approximately 6 weeks after the second block. There were no particular adverse effects or complications associated with these nerve block procedures. Epidural and sympathetic ganglion blocks for an ALS patient, albeit their effects are of a transient nature, may improve related clinical symptoms, and were thought to play a contributory role in improving our patient's quality of life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Resuscitology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, 3-1-1 Asahi, Matsumoto 390-8621, Japan.
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kitoh
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ina
authors.forename: Yukihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ofusa
authors.forename: Tetsutaro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Otagiri
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ono
mesh_terms: D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D015360:Analgesia, Epidural / Q000009:adverse effects; D001340:Autonomic Nerve Block / Q000009:adverse effects; D005728:Ganglia, Sympathetic; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012881:Skin Temperature / Q000502:physiology; D013817:Thermography