A COMPLICATION OF PARAVERTEBRAL INJECTION OF ALCOHOL

Abstract

The attempt to control the pain of angina pectoris by injection of the sympathetic nerves is a fairly recent procedure. Mandl,¹in 1925, according to Swetlow, was the first to use paravertebral injection of procaine for the relief of the pain of angina pectoris. In 1926 Swetlow²reported the use of alcohol block of the sympathetic fibers in a group of 8 patients with cardiac disease. Since then there have been several publications of small groups of cases. Levy and Moore,³in 1931, collected 57 cases from the literature and reported 9 cases from his personal experience. Analysis of the cases showed complete relief in 51 per cent, improvement in 34 per cent and no relief in 15 per cent. As untoward effects, the authors reported pleural effusion in 2 cases, postoperative collapse in 2 cases and bloody expectoration in 1 case. There were no deaths. In