Ganglion Impar Block
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Those who suffer from chronic pain in the genital or “seat” region may receive considerable relief from a ganglion impar block.
If you suffer pain felt in the genital, pelvic, perineal or lower buttock region, conservative pain treatments do not always work. Now, however, a simple, in-office procedure known as a ganglion of impar block could be the answer. The ganglion of impar block is most often used to treat pain which is secondary to:
- Malignancy
- Cervical, prostate, testicular or colorectal cancer which has metastasized to the perineum
- Vaginal protrusion
- Testicular ablation
- Failed back surgery
- Malformations of the spinal cord
- Sacral post-herpetic neuralgia
- Sympathetically-mediated pain
Those who suffer from this type of pain generally describe it as burning pain in the “seat” region, which can be accompanied by urinary urgency.
The Ganglion Impar Block Procedure
If your doctor recommends a ganglion of impar block for your pelvic pain, be aware it is a minimally invasive procedure which can be performed in minutes in your doctor’s office. Fluoroscopic guidance or ultrasound guidance is generally used, although there are now additional techniques, such as the transsacrococcygeal ligament approach, the transoccygeal joint approach, the paracoccygeal corkscrew approach, and the paramedial approach. Some health care providers also use a curved needle, or a needle-inside needle technique.
The best aspect of a ganglion impar block procedure is that you can receive powerful pain relief—from 50-100 percent reduction in pain from the block. Because the nerve fibers of many different pelvic structures travel through the ganglion of impar, a block can successfully treat a number of different pain sources simultaneously.
Before you have a ganglion impar block procedure, a diagnostic test will be done—usually twice—to determine if the ganglion of impar is your source of pain. Once you have the actual block done, your pain could be relieved for many months, and the pain relief is almost immediate. Be aware, that once the local anesthetic wears off in a few hours, your pain will return for a short time. It will then take up to a few days for the pain relief from the block to reach its maximum effect.
Risks Associated with a Ganglion Impar Block
There are very few potential risks of a ganglion impar block, and those include: bleeding, puncture of surrounding organs, drug allergies, and infection. Occasionally, because of the anatomical variation of where the ganglion impar is situated, the procedure may be ineffective. If this is occurs in your case, another approach may be tried to best accommodate your individual anatomy.
Are you suffering from severe chronic uncontrolled pain in the pelvis, groin or buttocks?
Contact Our Seattle Interventional Pain Management Specialists
We understand that severe and chronic pain can be difficult to control. At Seattle Pain, our primary goal is to relieve your pain and improve your quality of life. We believe in treating the whole patient – and not just the injury. You do not have to live in pain. Call us today.
