Lumbar Sympathetic Block

Abstract

Lumbar sympathetic block is a diagnostic test that is used to confirm the involvement of the sympathetic nervous system and a potential treatment for sympathetically mediated pain disorders such as complex regional pain syndrome. It involves targeting the sympathetic nervous system with local anesthetic or phenol; radiofrequency ablation has also been shown to be effective. Negative response to the block may be secondary to technical failure or a chronic pain pathology which is now sympathetically independent. Evidence for efficacy comprise primarily of case studies and small randomized trials, while there is a paucity of high-quality randomized control trials comparing treatment with placebo.