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Must we discontinue selective cervical nerve root blocks?

Report of two cases and review of the literature

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Abstract

We report two detrimental neurologic complications after technically correct selected cervical nerve root blocks. Based on these cases and a thorough review of the literature, the indication for cervical nerve root blocks was reconsidered and limited. Similarly, we modified our technique to further reduce the likelihood for the occurrence of such severe complications.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Orthopedic University Hospital Balgrist, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

    Juerg Hodler

  2. Department of Spine Surgery, Orthopedic University Hospital Balgrist, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

    Norbert Boos

  3. Spinal Cord Injury Centre, University Hospital Balgrist, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

    Martin Schubert

  4. Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hosptial Zurich, University of Zurich, Rämistrasse 100, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland

    Juerg Hodler

Authors
  1. Juerg Hodler
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  2. Norbert Boos
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  3. Martin Schubert
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Correspondence to Norbert Boos.

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Hodler, J., Boos, N. & Schubert, M. Must we discontinue selective cervical nerve root blocks? . Eur Spine J 22 (Suppl 3), 466–470 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-012-2642-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-012-2642-z

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