Cervical Sympathetic Chain Blocks for Traumatic Brain Injury Symptoms
Author Information
Author(s): Sean W. Mulvaney, James H. Lynch, Sanjay Mahadevan, Kyle J. Dineen, Kristine L. Rae Olmsted
Primary Institution: Uniformed Services University
Hypothesis
Does performing bilateral, two-level cervical sympathetic chain blocks improve symptoms associated with traumatic brain injury that do not overlap with PTSD?
Conclusion
Bilateral cervical sympathetic chain blocks may help improve TBI symptoms, even in patients with PTSD.
Supporting Evidence
- All patients showed improvement in their NSI scores after treatment.
- The average NSI score improved by 49.51% at one month post-treatment.
- Improvements were noted in both male and female patients.
- The study utilized a novel NSI sub-score to evaluate TBI-specific symptoms.
Takeaway
Doctors used a special injection to help people with brain injuries feel better, even if they also had PTSD. It worked really well!
Methodology
A retrospective chart review was conducted, collecting NSI scores from patients before and after treatment.
Potential Biases
Data entry was performed by a single keyer, which may introduce bias.
Limitations
The small sample size and short follow-up period limit the generalizability and long-term predictions of the results.
Participant Demographics
13 males and 7 females with a history of TBI and PTSD.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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