Transition from Deep Regional Blocks toward Deep Nerve Hydrodissection in the Upper Body and Torso: Method Description and Results from a Retrospective Chart Review of the Analgesic Effect of 5% Dextrose Water as the Primary Hydrodissection Injectate to Enhance Safety

Table 2

Diagnoses, neuropathic pain regions, and hydrodissection performed for 26 cases in 25 patients.

	Primary diagnosis	Neuropathic pain areas; (other diagnoses)	Regional hydrodissection
			PV	SG	SCBP	ISBP	CR
3	Cervical root compression	Neck and arm			2	3	3
2	Cervical root compression	Neck					2
1	Postherpetic neuralgia	Neck					1
3	Postherpetic neuralgia	Chest	3
3	Acute herpes zoster	Neck					1
3	Acute herpes zoster	Chest	2
2	Thoracic outlet syndrome	Arm			2
1	Thoracic outlet syndrome	Arm; (panic attacks)		1	1
1	Thoracic outlet syndrome	Arm; (triple crush syndrome)			1
1	Thoracic outlet syndrome	Neck and arm; (double crush syndrome); (cervical radiculopathy)			1		1
1	Neuropathic pain in the head and neck region	Head and neck; (PTSD)		1
1	Neuropathic pain in the head and neck region	Head and neck; (PTSD); (panic attacks)		1
1	Cervicogenic headache	Head and neck; (PTSD); (panic attacks)		1
1	Stretch injury to the brachial plexus	Arm and hand; (PTSD); (CRPS)		1	1
1	Chronic regional pain syndrome (CRPS)	Arm and hand; (double crush syndrome)		1	1
1	Neuropathic pain in the thoracic region	Thorax; (after rib fracture)	1
1	Neuropathic pain in the thoracic region	Thorax; (after electric shock)	1
1	Neuropathic pain in the arm	Neck, arm, and hand			1	1	1
1	Cervical sprain	Neck and arm		1	1

= number of cases with the same combination of diagnoses. Not all cases with the same diagnoses underwent hydrodissection in the same region. The number of cases receiving a given hydrodissection type is listed in each column under the main column titled “Regional hydrodissection.” PV = paravertebral hydrodissection, typically performed for neuropathic pain in the thoracic region. SG = stellate ganglion hydrodissection, typically performed for CRPS and other chronic neuropathic pain conditions involving the head and neck region. SCBP = supraclavicular brachial plexus hydrodissection, typically performed for CRPS, other chronic neuropathic pain conditions involving the ipsilateral upper limb, and double crush syndrome involving the ipsilateral upper limb. ISCP = interscalene brachial plexus hydrodissection, typically performed for CRPS and other chronic neuropathic pain conditions involving the ipsilateral upper limb, particularly areas closer to the nerve roots. CR = cervical root hydrodissection, typically performed for nerve root compression of any kind and neuropathic pain involving specific nerve roots. Although panic attacks were not a primary diagnosis, they were recorded because of their frequent exacerbation by chronic pain and treatment by stellate ganglion hydrodissection. PTSD = posttraumatic stress disorder, which was not the primary diagnosis but was recorded because of its frequent association with chronic pain and treatment by stellate ganglion hydrodissection.