Treatment of intermittent claudication. Lumbar paravertebral somatic block with phenol.

Our experience of twenty-eight patients with intermittent claudication treated by means of paravertebral lumbar somatic nerve block is presented. There was immediate demonstrable improvement in 92-5% of the twenty-six patients included in this follow up. At the end of 6 months the improvement was maintained in 72-7% of the patients and in about 70-0% of patients at 6 months and at 9 months. Six of the seven patients followed up for 1 year had a claudication distance at least twice that prior to the block. The results of this indicate that lumbar somatic nerve block is less disturbing and more effective than other forms of conservative treatment for intermittent claudication.