Prolonged stellate block in treatment of reflex sympathetic dystrophy.

Prolonged continuous stellate ganglion blockade has been found useful in treatment of post-traumatic reflex sympathetic dystrophy under the following circumstances: 1) When conservative treatment with outpatient physical therapy, tranquilizers and mild analgesics has failed. 2) When conservative therapy plus intermittent stellate blocks (q.l to 4 weeks) has failed. A three-year average follow-up of a group of 26 unselected patients has shown 25% relapse rate and 75% marked to complete improvement.