NEUROLYTIC BLOCKS

Course overview

A NEUROLYTIC BLOCK IS THE TARGETED DESTRUCTION OF A NERVE OR NERVE PLEXUS. FREQUENTLY, THE TERM NEUROABLATION IS USED TO ALSO DESCRIBE THE PHYSICAL INTERRUPTION OF PAIN EITHER CHEMICALLY, THERMALLY, OR SURGICALLY. ALL NEUROLYTIC TECHNIQUES CAUSE WALLERIAN DEGENERATION OF THE NERVE AXON DISTAL TO THE LESION.CHEMICALS WERE EXTENSIVELY UTILIZED IN THE PAST FOR NEUROLYSIS IN THE EARLY 20 CENTURY. THE FIRST REPORT OF CHEMICAL NEUROLYSIS WAS MADE IN 1863 BY LUTON WHO DELIVERED IRRITANT CHEMICALS SUBCUTANEOUSLY IN PATIENTS WITH SCIATIC NEURALGIA, OFFERING THEM SIGNIFICANT ALLEVIATION OF PAIN. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE INDICATIONS FOR, TYPES OF, AND COMPLICATIONS OF NEUROLYTIC BLOCKS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC PAIN.