Korean J Anesthesiol.  2005 Apr;48(4):439-442. 10.4097/kjae.2005.48.4.439.

The Effect of the Continuous Intravenous Infusion of Magnesium for the Treatment of Postherpetic Neuralgia -A case report-

• Park H
• Lee JI
• Roh JH
• Yoon DM

• KMID: 2032247
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4097/kjae.2005.48.4.439

Abstract

Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a chronic pain syndrome associated with the reactivation of a primary varicella zoster virus infection and is one of the most serious complication of herpetic zoster. The clinical features of PHN are ongoing pain accompanied by allodynia, hyperalgesia, and paresthesia. Current treatment options aimed at relieving the symptoms of PHN include oral agents, such as, opioid, NSAIDs, antidepressants, anticonvulsants. And local anesthetics with steroids are used for subcutaneous infiltration, somatic nerve block, sympathetic nerve block and epidural nerve block. However, in some cases, the pain does not respond to this treatment. We report a case in which a patient suffering from PHN did not respond to conventional therapy, but in whom continuous intravenous infusion of magnesium and physiologic N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, reduced severe pain.

Keyword

magnesium; NMDA receptor; postherpetic neuralgia

MeSH Terms

Anesthetics, Local
Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal
Anticonvulsants
Antidepressive Agents
Autonomic Nerve Block
Chronic Pain
Herpes Zoster
Herpesvirus 3, Human
Humans
Hyperalgesia
Infusions, Intravenous*
Magnesium*
N-Methylaspartate
Nerve Block
Neuralgia, Postherpetic*
Paresthesia
Steroids
Anesthetics, Local
Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal
Anticonvulsants
Antidepressive Agents
Magnesium
N-Methylaspartate
Steroids