Stellate ganglion(SG),also known as the cervical thoracic sympathetic ganglion,is formed by the fusion of the inferior cervical ganglion and the first thoracic ganglia.It is responsible for transmitting sympathetic innervation to the upper extremities,head,neck,and heart.Stellate ganglion block(SGB)involves the injection of local anesthetics on or around the surface of SG,which induces a broad autonomic nerve blocking effect in the area controlled by SG.As a nerve block technique,ultrasound-guided SGB can be used to regulate autonomic nervous functions and achieve therapeutic effects of the relevant diseases by interfering sympathetic nerve activities of SG.In this article,we summarized and reviewed the research and clinical applications of ultrasound-guided SGB in regulating autonomic nervous functions,focusing on publications from the past five years.Furthermore,we discussed the prospective development in applying SGB in the treatment of diseases associated with high-altitude environment.

Objective:To identify the risk factors for postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) after thoracoscopic lung resection and evaluate the predictive value for the development of PPCs.Methods:The perioperative data of patients, aged≥18 yr, of American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical statusⅠ-Ⅲ, were obtained through the electronic medical record system.The blood routine within 24 h after surgery was recorded, and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) was calculated.According to the development of PPCs, the patients were divided into non-PPCs group and PPCs group.Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the variables of which P values were less than 0.05 to identify the risk factors for PPCs, and the receiver operating characteristic curve was drawn to evaluate the predictive value of risk factors. Results:A total of 699 patients were enrolled in this study, including 620 patients in non-PPCs group and 79 patients in PPCs group.The results of logistic regression analysis found that body mass index ≥25 kg/m 2, ASA physical status Ⅲ, lung segmental resection, resection of lobes or above, multi-port thoracoscopic surgery and increased postoperative SII were the risk factors for PPCs ( P<0.05 or 0.01). The AUC (95% confidence interval) of postoperative SII in predicting PPCs was 0.636 (0.599-0.671) ( P<0.05), the cut-off value of SII in predicting PPCs was set at 1 052.3, and the sensitivity and specificity were 68.4% and 57.3%, respectively. Conclusions:Body mass index ≥25 kg/m 2, ASA physical status Ⅲ, lung segmental resection, resection of lobes or above, multi-port thoracoscopic surgery and increased postoperative SII are the risk factors for PPCs.Postoperative SII can predict the occurrence of PPCs to a certain extent in the patients undergoing thoracoscopic lung resection.

Objective     To evaluate the effect of intraoperative fluid infusion volume on postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) in patients after minimally invasive endoscopic esophageal carcinoma resection. Methods     From June 2019 to August 2021, 486 patients undergoing elective minimally invasive endoscopic esophagectomy for esophageal cancer were retrospectively screened from the electronic medical record information management system and anesthesia surgery clinical information system of West China Hospital of Sichuan University. There were 381 males and 105 females, with a median age of 64.0 years. Taking the incidence of pulmonary complications within 7 days after operation as the primary outcome, the correlation between intraoperative fluid infusion volume and the occurrence of PPCs within 7 days was clearly analyzed by regression analysis. Results    The incidence of pulmonary complications within 7 days after surgery was 33.5% (163/486). Regression analysis showed that intraoperative fluid infusion volume was correlated with the occurrence of PPCs [adjusted OR=1.089, 95%CI (1.012, 1.172), P=0.023], especially pulmonary infection [adjusted OR=1.093, 95%CI (1.014, 1.178), P=0.020], and pleural effusion [adjusted OR=1.147, 95%CI (1.007, 1.306), P=0.039]. Pulmonary infection was significantly less in the low intraoperative fluid infusion group [<6.49 mL/(kg·h), n=115] compared with the high intraoperative fluid infusion group [≥6.49 mL/(kg·h), n=371] (18.3% vs. 34.5%, P=0.023). Intraoperative fluid infusion volume was positively associated with death within 30 days after surgery [adjusted OR=1.442, 95%CI (1.056, 1.968), P=0.021]. Conclusion     Among patients undergoing elective minimally invasive endoscopic esophageal cancer resection, intraoperative fluid infusion volume is related with the occurrence of PPCs within 7 days after the surgery, especially pulmonary infection and pleural effusion, and may affect death within 30 days after the surgery.