Electrical Stimulation of Sphenopalatine Ganglion for Acute Treatment of Cluster Headaches

(Headache 2010;50:1164‐1174) Introduction.— Cluster headaches (CH) are primary headaches marked by repeated short‐lasting attacks of severe, unilateral head pain and associated autonomic symptoms. Despite aggressive management with medications, oxygen therapy, nerve blocks, as well as various lesion...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Headache Vol. 50; no. 7; pp. 1164 - 1174
Main Authors:	Ansarinia, Mehdi, Rezai, Ali, Tepper, Stewart J., Steiner, Charles P., Stump, Jenna, Stanton-Hicks, Michael, Machado, Andre, Narouze, Samer
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Malden, USA Blackwell Publishing Inc 01-07-2010 Wiley-Blackwell Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
Subjects:	acute treatment Adult Biological and medical sciences Cardiovascular system cluster headache Cluster Headache - etiology Cluster Headache - physiopathology Cluster Headache - therapy Electric Stimulation Therapy - adverse effects Electric Stimulation Therapy - methods Facial Neuralgia - etiology Facial Neuralgia - physiopathology Facial Neuralgia - therapy Female Ganglia, Parasympathetic - anatomy & histology Ganglia, Parasympathetic - diagnostic imaging Ganglia, Parasympathetic - surgery Headaches Humans Male Medical sciences Medical treatment Middle Aged Neurology neuromodulation neurostimulation Pain Pharmacology. Drug treatments Pterygopalatine Fossa - anatomy & histology Pterygopalatine Fossa - diagnostic imaging Pterygopalatine Fossa - surgery pterygopalatine ganglion Radiography SPG sphenopalatine ganglion Vascular diseases and vascular malformations of the nervous system Vasodilator agents. Cerebral vasodilators Young Adult Nervous system diseases Cardiovascular disease Sphenopalatine ganglion SPG Cerebral disorder Vascular disease neuromodulation Cluster headache Pain Treatment Central nervous system disease acute treatment pterygopalatine ganglion Cerebrovascular disease neurostimulation
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Summary:	(Headache 2010;50:1164‐1174) Introduction.— Cluster headaches (CH) are primary headaches marked by repeated short‐lasting attacks of severe, unilateral head pain and associated autonomic symptoms. Despite aggressive management with medications, oxygen therapy, nerve blocks, as well as various lesioning and neurostimulation therapies, a number of patients are incapacitated and suffering. The sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG) has been implicated in the pathophysiology of CH and has been a target for blocks, lesioning, and other surgical approaches. For this reason, it was selected as a target for an acute neurostimulation study. Methods.— Six patients with refractory chronic CH were treated with short‐term (up to 1 hour) electrical stimulation of the SPG during an acute CH. Headaches were spontaneously present at the time of stimulation or were triggered with agents known to trigger clusters headache in each patient. A standard percutaneous infrazygomatic approach was used to place a needle at the ipsilateral SPG in the pterygopalatine fossa under fluoroscopic guidance. Electrical stimulation was performed using a temporary stimulating electrode. Stimulation was performed at various settings during maximal headache intensity. Results.— Five patients had CH during the initial evaluation. Three returned 3 months later for a second evaluation. There were 18 acute and distinct CH attacks with clinically maximal visual analog scale (VAS) intensity of 8 (out of 10) and above. SPG stimulation resulted in complete resolution of the headache in 11 attacks, partial resolution (>50% VAS reduction) in 3, and minimal to no relief in 4 attacks. Associated autonomic features of CH were resolved in each responder. Pain relief was noted within several minutes of stimulation. Conclusion.— Sphenopalatine ganglion stimulation can be effective in relieving acute severe CH pain and associated autonomic features. Chronic long‐term outcome studies are needed to determine the utility of SPG stimulation for management and prevention of CH.
Bibliography:	istex:5DC7725FD24C5915B5E2496B2D4A437EEC0EBB6E ArticleID:HEAD1661 ark:/67375/WNG-S4RNRHBS-8 None. Conflict of Interest ObjectType-Article-2 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-1 content type line 23 ObjectType-Report-3 ObjectType-Case Study-4 ObjectType-Article-1 ObjectType-Feature-2
ISSN:	0017-8748 1526-4610
DOI:	10.1111/j.1526-4610.2010.01661.x