title: The Sphenopalatine Ganglion: Anatomy, Pathophysiology, and Therapeutic Targeting in Headache.
abstract: The sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG) has attracted the interest of practitioners treating head and face pain for over a century because of its anatomical connections and role in the trigemino-autonomic reflex. In this review, we discuss the anatomy of the SPG, as well as what is known about its role in the pathophysiology of headache disorders, including cluster headache and migraine. We then address various therapies that target the SPG, including intranasal medication delivery, new SPG blocking catheter devices, neurostimulation, chemical neurolysis, and ablation procedures.
authors.affiliation: Montefiore Headache Center, Bronx, NY, USA.|Department of Neurology, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Robbins
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Carrie E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Robertson
authors.affiliation: The Kaplan Headache Center, Optimum Health Medical Group, PLLC, Clifton Park, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Eugene
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kaplan
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Medstar Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ailani
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Larry
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Charleston
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
authors.forename: Deena
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kuruvilla
authors.affiliation: The Headache Center of Southern California, Encinitas, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Blumenfeld
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Randall
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Berliner
authors.affiliation: Pain and Headache Center, Cushing Neuroscience Institute, Department of Neurology, Hofstra North Shore LIJ Medical Center, Manhasset, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Noah L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Rosen
authors.affiliation: Pain and Headache Center, Cushing Neuroscience Institute, Department of Neurology, Hofstra North Shore LIJ Medical Center, Manhasset, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Duarte
authors.affiliation: The Neurology Center, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Jaskiran
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vidwan
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, USA.
authors.forename: Rashmi B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Halker
authors.affiliation: Carolina Headache Institute, Durham, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gill
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine (Neurology), Doylestown Hospital, Doylestown, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Avi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ashkenazi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005725:Ganglia, Autonomic / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D006261:Headache / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D059387:Sphenopalatine Ganglion Block / Q000379:methods*
keywords: ablation; cluster; ganglion; headache; migraine; neuralgia; neurostimulation; pterygopalatine; sphenopalatine