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Nerve Blocks for the Trigeminal Nerve and Branches

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Trigeminal Nerve Pain

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Abstract

Trigeminal nerve blocks can provide symptomatic relief for patients suffering from trigeminal nerve pain incompletely controlled with medications alone. The nerve has multiple branches, superficial and deep, which can be selectively blocked based on the patient’s pattern of symptoms. These procedures can provide acute pain relief as well as long-term pain relief in specific patients. While there are risks associated with the procedures, they are generally well-tolerated and blockade of the superficial branches can be easily performed in the clinic with anatomic localization. Imaging guidance such as ultrasound can increase accuracy while fluoroscopy is required for blockade of deeper structures like the Gasserian ganglion. This chapter reviews the indications for injections as well as the medications and techniques used to perform the procedures.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Donald Kasitinon, MD for acting as a model.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine, Madison, WI, USA

    Chen Cui & Michelle Poliak-Tunis

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  1. Chen Cui
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  2. Michelle Poliak-Tunis
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anesthesiology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA

    Alaa Abd-Elsayed

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Cui, C., Poliak-Tunis, M. (2021). Nerve Blocks for the Trigeminal Nerve and Branches. In: Abd-Elsayed, A. (eds) Trigeminal Nerve Pain. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-60687-9_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-60687-9_9

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-60686-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-60687-9

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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