BLOCKING OF THE SPLANCHNIC NERVES AND THE FIRST LUMBAR SYMPATHETIC GANGLION

Abstract

ANALYSIS of the evolution of surgery of the sympathetic system during recent years shows that some operations on this system in certain cases have enjoyed a period of enthusiasm followed by another which was less encouraging. In part, this phenomenon may be due to difficulty in determination of an accurate therapeutic indication in every case. The treatment of several diseases by operation on the sympathetic system is based fundamentally on the physiology and physiopathology of the sympathetic system. This being so wide knowledge of the physiology of the sympathetic innervation and of its relation to the disease or to the automatic disturbance is necessary before one decides on this operation. On the other hand, if it is possible before the operation to determine what result may be obtained by operation on the sympathetic system, this type of operation can attain a high degree of accuracy in its therapeutic indications and