J Korean Pain Soc.  1992 Nov;5(2):269-272.

Pleural Effusion Followed by Multiple Intercostal Nerve Blocks in the Patient with Postherpetic Neuralgia

• Song JJ
• Han YJ
• Choe H

Abstract

We experienced a case of pleural effusion while treating postherpetic neuralgia in a 70 year old male patient. The patient had scar and color change on the skin along the course of the right Th4-5 intercostal nerve, characteristics of healed herpes zoster. The patient also complained of severe pain along the lesion site which made sleeping difficult. He had been treated with; epidural blocks with or without catheterization, epidural or regional corticosteroids; multiple intraspinal and intercostal blocks with local anesthetic; or neurolytic, alcohol, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, etc., for about six months by the time of pleural effusion development. We came to the conclusion that the effusion was due to pleural irritation by multiple intercostal nerve blocks, because it was bloody and developed on the affected right side, although the patient had a history of a certain hepatic pathology and pulmonary tu berculosis which may be a predisposing factor to the effusion.

MeSH Terms

Adrenal Cortex Hormones
Aged
Catheterization
Catheters
Causality
Cicatrix
Herpes Zoster
Humans
Intercostal Nerves*
Male
Neuralgia, Postherpetic*
Pathology
Pleural Effusion*
Skin
Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation
Adrenal Cortex Hormones