Stellate ganglion block for the treatment of acne vulgaris in adult : Case reports

Ko, Hee Chang; Ko, Du Hyun; Shinn, Helen Ki; Song, Jang Ho; Lee, Hong Sik; Cha, Young Deog

Case Report

General Article

Anesthesia and Pain Medicine 2009;4(1):71-74.
Published online January 30, 2009.

Stellate ganglion block for the treatment of acne vulgaris in adult : Case reports

Hee Chang Ko, Du Hyun Ko, Helen Ki Shinn, Jang Ho Song, Hong Sik Lee, Young Deog Cha

Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Inha University College of Medicine, Incheon, Korea. ydchaan@hanmail.net

Abstract

Therapeutic agents such as antibiotics, hormonal drugs and retinoids are usually applied for the treatment of acne vulgaris. Adult patients with acne vulgaris may suffer from various side effects of the therapeutic agents. Stellate ganglion blocks are known to be effective for general dermatological conditions such as atopic dermatitis and acne vulgaris. We experienced that a stellate ganglion block showed significant therapeutic effects in two patients with severe acne that did not respond to other treatments including medications. A stellate ganglion block should be considered as an effective treatment method for patients with acne vulgaris, especially in cases where little improvement is seen with the use of other treatment methods.

Key Words: acne vulgaris, adult acne, stellate ganglion block