The Effectiveness and Safety of Stellate Ganglion Block in the Treatment of Symptoms from Long COVID-19: A Pilot Study.

Purpose: Pilot study to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of stellate ganglion blocks in the treatment of symptoms related to long COVID infection. Materials and Methods: A total of 17 patients who underwent stellate ganglion block for the treatment of their long COVID symptoms were included. COMPASS-31, GAD-7, PCL-5, and Fatigue Severity Score (FSS) pre and post intervention surveys and data on baseline heartrate and post- block heart rate recorded in the EMR. Results: A total of 94% of patients reported moderate-to-severe autonomic dysfunction pre-procedure as measured by COMPASS-31. All patients reported some degree of symptomatic improvement from the block. Specifically, patients had significantly lower FSS scores (P = 0.002) and heart rate post-procedure (P = 0.008). Although the decrease in PCL-5 scores after the procedure was clinically meaningful, this change was not statistically significant (P = 0.159). No significant difference was found in pre and post procedure GAD-7 scores (P = 0.101). Conclusions: Stellate ganglion block is a safe, low-risk, minimally invasive, and effective procedure in the treatment of symptoms for long COVID. It should be evaluated as an adjunctive treatment of select patients in this population.

Safety and Effectiveness of Stellate Ganglion Cryoablation in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome.

This was a retrospective, observational, descriptive study to evaluate the safety and 6-month effectiveness of percutaneous cryoablation of the stellate ganglion for the treatment of complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). Eight patients with CRPS diagnosed by Budapest criteria were treated with this procedure. CRPS symptom severity was assessed prior to the procedure and at 3-month intervals after the procedure using a novel CRPS scoring system-the Budapest score-created by the authors. The mean Budapest score prior to and 6 months (187 days, SD ± 43) after stellate ganglion cryoablation was 7.0 (SD ± 2.0) (n = 6) and 3.8 (SD ± 2.3) (n = 6), respectively, showing a decrease of 3.2 (SD ± 1.7) (n = 6; P = .006). There were no major adverse events due to the procedure, and there was only 1 minor adverse event. Stellate ganglion cryoablation is a feasible, safe, and minimally invasive procedure that may represent an efficacious adjunct treatment option for select patients with CRPS.

Treating phantom limb pain: cryoablation of the posterior tibial nerve.

Phantom limb pain (PLP) is a complex pathophysiologic process involving both the central and peripheral nervous system for which there is no definitive treatment. The number of individuals living with amputated limbs is predicted to increase to 3.5 million by 2050, and up to 80% of these patients will have PLP. In this case report, we will demonstrate successful reduction of PLP in a patient with bilateral phantom toe pain utilizing nerve blockade and subsequent cryoablation of the posterior tibial nerves.

Predictors of Overall and Progression-Free Survival in Patients with Ocular Melanoma Metastatic to the Liver Undergoing Y90 Radioembolization.

PURPOSE: To investigate predictors of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with ocular melanoma metastatic to the liver undergoing yttrium-90 (Y90) radioembolization, including the effect of concurrent immunotherapy. METHODS: An IRB-approved retrospective review of 24 patients with ocular melanoma metastatic to the liver who underwent Y-90 treatment between June 2003 and January 2018 was performed. Data regarding patients' performance status at the time of Y90, intra-/extrahepatic tumor burden, and treatment response were evaluated. RECIST was used to determine objective tumor response. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to calculate OS and PFS from the first Y90 therapy. Log-rank analysis was used to determine predictors of prolonged OS and PFS. RESULTS: Median OS from primary diagnosis and diagnosis of liver metastases was 66 months (mo) and 26.3 mo, respectively. Median OS for those who received immunotherapy within 3 months of undergoing Y90 was prolonged at 26.0 mo versus 9.5 mo for others (p = 0.014). Median OS for patients with an ECOG performance status of 0 was prolonged at 26 mo versus 5.5 mo for others (p = 0.003). Median hepatic PFS was prolonged in patients treated with Y-90 on concurrent immunotherapy at 10.3 mo versus 2.7 mo for TARE only (p = 0.002). Patients with an ECOG performance status of 0 had prolonged PFS (p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Concurrent immunotherapy and an ECOG performance status of 0 at the time of Y90 therapy appear to be predictors of prolonged OS and PFS in patients with ocular melanoma metastatic to the liver.

Reducing STAT Portable Chest Radiograph Turnaround Times: A Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: Our health system orders a high number of STAT priority portable chest radiographs (62%) compared to Routine (35%) and Today (3%). Retrospective chart review of 1000 chest radiographs ordered with the STAT priority revealed that 38% of studies did not indicate clinical urgency. Given the high number or STAT priority portable chest radiographs ordered, prioritizing acquisition and interpretation of true STATs has become challenging for technologists and radiologists, leading to process inefficiencies, long turnaround times (TATs), communication failures, and patient-safety errors. METHODS: A multidisciplinary team analyzed the current pathway for exam order to finalized report, identified failure modes of imaging order to completion process, and developed guidelines for what constitutes a true STAT examination. A new "urgent" order category meeting the definition of true STAT was designed, tested, and implemented over a 9-month period in participating intensive care units RESULTS: Since study implementation, 108 "urgent" examinations were ordered. Median TAT for a STAT examination from order entry to image acquisition dropped from 70 minutes preimplementation to 16 minutes for "urgent" examinations. Median TAT for exam completion to radiologist image interpretation dropped from 520 minutes preimplementation to 14 minutes for "urgent" examinations. Since implementation, "urgent" examinations were found to be more concordant (70%) with the status of a critically ill patient than STAT examinations (62%). CONCLUSIONS: The complexity of large multispecialty medical centers and lack of direct interaction of the radiologist with clinicians has led to underappreciation of the needs of ordering providers by radiology, and elucidated system limitations of radiology by ordering providers. By involving a team of frontline clinicians, our team standardized the process of identifying, ordering, procuring, interpreting, and communicating results of true STAT examinations. The process created by our team now serves as a template for implementation in other locations and service lines of our hospital.