A lumbar sympathetic block is an injection of medication that helps relieve lower back or leg pain (sciatica). It can be used to treat: Reflex sympathetic dystrophy. Complex regional pain syndrome. Herpes zoster infection (shingles) involving the legs.

What is the function of the sympathetic chain?

The sympathetic chain (or trunk) is a component of the autonomic nervous system and is composed of general visceral afferent and efferent axons that allow for involuntary control of bodily functions via the hypothalamus.

How is sympathetic chain connected to the spinal nerves?

Nerve roots connect with the sympathetic trunk through their specific braches (rami communicans). The upper extremity of the sympathetic trunk continues upward by a plexus around the internal carotid artery inside the carotid canal. The lower end travels in front of the coccyx forming the unpaired coccygeal ganglion.

What does the sympathetic trunk allow?

Function. The sympathetic trunk is a fundamental part of the sympathetic nervous system, and part of the autonomic nervous system. It allows nerve fibres to travel to spinal nerves that are superior and inferior to the one in which they originated.

Where does sympathetic trunk end?

coccyx
The sympathetic trunk The sympathetic trunks (see Figs 3.25, 3.26) lie on each side of the vertebral column, extending from the base of the skull to the coccyx where the two chains fuse together.

Is a lumbar sympathetic block right for me?

A lumbar sympathetic block may be right for you if you have lower back or leg pain — especially linked to reflex sympathetic dystrophy or complex regional pain syndrome — which does not respond to other treatment. Talk to your physician about it.

What are the possible complications of open ventral lumbar sympathectomy?

Complications of open ventral lumbar sympathectomy include ileus, infection, injury to intraperitoneal contents, wound complications, impotence, ureteral injury, and vascular injury.

What is a lumbar sympathectomy (lumbar sympathyctomy)?

Lumbar sympathectomy requires the removal of the L2 and L3 sympathetic ganglia (occasionally L1 and T12 to reach the thigh) usually through a retroperitoneal approach. Michael R. Talcott, Robert P. Marini DVM, in Laboratory Animal Medicine (Third Edition), 2015

What causes pain in the thigh after a lumbar sympathectomy?

Some patients who underwent a lumbar sympathectomy may experience thigh pain for several weeks after the procedure, and the etiology is unclear but may be caused by muscle retraction. Kenneth W. Lindsay PhD FRCS,