J Korean Pain Soc.  1996 Jun;9(1):57-62.

Changes in Blood Flow Velocity of Middle Cerebral Artery after Stellate Ganglion Block

• Seo YS
• Kim SH
• Hur CR
• Lee KJ
• Lee SY
• Kim CH
• Kim C
• Lee YS
• Lee DC

Abstract

Stellate ganglion block (SGB) improves cutaneous blood flow of the head and neck region and upper extremity. For this reason, SGB has been performed in neural and circulatory disorders. But there is controversy on the cerebral blood flow regulation by sympathetic innervation. We investigated the hypothesis that cerebral blood flow could be affected by blocking ipsilateral sympathetic innervation of cerebral vasculature. In 10 volunteers, the blood flow velocity and pulsatility index (PI) of middle cerebral artery (MCA) was measured using Transcranial Doppler Flowmeter, before and l5 minutes after SGB, at block side and opposite side. The blood flow velocity of MCA at block side was increased from 62.60 +/- 7.60 cm/s to 72.80 +/- 8.01 cm/s (P < 0.0l) and the PI at block side decreased from 0.75 +/- 0.12 to 0.60 +/- 0.11 (P < 0.05). But the blood flow velocity and PI at opposite side did not change. This study demonstrated that the cerebral blood flow could be increased by SGB, the preganglionic nerve fibers of which synapse with other cervical sympathetic ganglions.

Keyword

Stellate ganglion block; Cerebral blood flow; Middle cerebral artery; Transcranial doppler flowmeter; Blood flow velocity; Pulsatility index

MeSH Terms

Blood Flow Velocity*
Flowmeters
Ganglia, Sympathetic
Head
Middle Cerebral Artery*
Neck
Nerve Fibers
Stellate Ganglion*
Synapses
Upper Extremity
Volunteers