A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Stellate Ganglion Block in the Treatment of POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER
Inclusion Criteria
1. Gender: Male and Female
2. Minimum Age/ Maximum Age: Over the age of 18
3. Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Yes, but must be experiencing mild to severe symptoms of PTSD
Inclusion Criteria will include subjects who:
- Subjects, (male and/or female), experiencing moderate-to-severe PTSD Symptoms
- Subjects, (male and/or female), who elect to undergo the SGB procedure.
Exclusion Criteria will include subjects who:
- Have an acute, unstable medical condition i.e., temperature, blood pressure, heart
rate outside normal limits; electrolyte abnormalities; mental conditions which
preclude informed consent/unable to make decisions independently; on antibiotic
therapy; uncontrolled seizures; nausea/vomiting; night sweats; blood dyscrasias.
- Have acute infections or cardiac compromise or irregularities of heart rate or
rhythm.
- Pathlogic bradycardia
- Have local infections of the anterior neck region
- Have severe pulmonary disease, (in severe pulmonary disease, the patient may
experience severe shortness of breath on minimal exertion [even at rest], require
supplemental oxygen, is progressively disabled and may have a constant cough and
associated wheeze).
- Are anticoagulated
- Have a blood clotting disorder
- Have an American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status score of 3 or
higher (severe systemic disease, not incapacitating)
- Have allergic reactions to local anesthetics and / or contrast dyes,
- Have conditions or disorders that affect cognitive functioning, including stroke,
past or present diagnosis of psychosis,
- Have conditions that invalidate testing procedures (e.g., English not first language,
inability to write, speak, read, etc.)
- Have Horner's syndrome on the right side
- Have a diagnosis of glaucoma
- Are pregnant