Intrathecal Triamcinolone for Intractable Postherpetic Neuralgia.
10.4097/kjae.2005.49.4.518
- Author:
Kyung Im LIM
1
;
Kye Hyun KIM
;
Choong Yun LEE
Author Information
1. Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. kyungim.lim@samsung.com
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
intrathecal injection;
postherpetic neuralgia
- MeSH:
Analgesics;
Humans;
Injections, Spinal;
Mepivacaine;
Neuralgia, Postherpetic*;
Pain Management;
Triamcinolone*
- From:Korean Journal of Anesthesiology
2005;49(4):518-522
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: There is no effective treatment for intractable postherpetic neuralgia. Some reports noticed effectiveness of intrathecal steroid administration which was injected at L2/3, L3/4 interspace. We tried the same procedure but injection site was differed to reduce the steroid dose. And then we evaluated the effectiveness and neurologic complications. METHODS: We studied 9 patients with postherpetic neuralgia. The patients received intrathecal triamcinolone and mepivacaine (2ml of 0.5% mepivacaine with 15 mg of triamcinolone). Each weekly dose was injected into the lesion site or near the site. Pain was evaluated 1 week, 1 month and then more than 3 months after the treatment. RESULTS: We found that pain intensity was decreased by 69.7% one week after the treatment, by 70% 3-9 months after the treatment. During the treatment, all patients except two took analgesics but did not at the end of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this trial indicated that the intrathecal administration of triamcinolone was effective for postherpetic neuralgia pain management.
