Percutaneous Radiofrequency Lesion of the Superior Cervical Sympathetic Ganglion and Tinnitus

Percutaneous Radiofrequency Lesion of the Superior Cervical Sympathetic Ganglion in Patients with Tinnitus

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of radiofrequency lesioning of the superior cervical sympathetic ganglion for patients with tinnitus.

Study design: This is a retrospective long-term clinical review of patients with tinnitus treated with a blockade of the superior cervical sympathetic ganglion.

Setting: The human subjects were 366 consecutive patients who came to the DC Klinieken in Almere and Amsterdam from January 2010 to January 2014 for consultations on their tinnitus that persisted for 1 month or longer.

Subjects and methods: Data were recorded from patients whose charts were reviewed retrospectively to identify the patients who were treated with a blockade of the superior cervical sympathetic ganglion for tinnitus. An independent observer conducted a long-term follow-up assessment of the therapy by telephone interview.

Results: Relief of tinnitus at 7-week follow-up was achieved in 64% of the patients treated with a radiofrequency lesion of the superior cervical sympathetic ganglion after a positive test blockade of this structure. Two years after the treatment, the maintenance of a tinnitus relief occurred in almost 40% of the patients with a follow-up period of two years or longer.

Conclusions: A radiofrequency lesion of the superior cervical sympathetic ganglion may be a useful alternative for patients with tinnitus not responding to conventional therapy.

 

It's about percutaneous radiofrequency treatment
Anterior Cervical Osteophytes and Sympathetic Hyperactivity in Patients with Tinnitus: Size Matters

 

@Frédéric I swear that your a mental telepathist, psychic or mind reader as you again posted something that I have an interest in. Only a few medical centers perform this ganglion procedure and they booked for months on end. They can now continue this procedure into the trigeminal mandibular branch. This ranks high among the 20 or so conditional cures for tinnitus. What's amazing is that they have success with onotoxic drug damage, hearing tests gone wrong procedures, and ear cleaning gone wrong procedures as the same ganglion nerves, cranial nerves and muscles have association.

 

@Greg Sacramento
can you write here which medical centers are performing this procedure?

 

@jacob21 There's places that will perform this procedure, but the cranial nerve system, facial, thoracolumbar and cervicothoracic junction should be examined and this is why a team of specialized doctors is needed.

A good understanding of tinnitus without condition details is under Etiology of Tinnitus in this article.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3228384/


https://www.heschinstitute.com/tmj--upper-cervical.html

http://www.painneck.com/cervicothoracic-junction-kyphosis/
Stretching and proper posture for all with tinnitus is needed.

 

Interesting article--this part "Stereotactic radiosurgery methods and microvascular decompressions are indicated for tinnitus caused by underlying pathologies such as vestibular schwannomas or neurovascular conflicts of the vestibulocochlear nerve at the level of the brainstem."

Caused me to look up schwannomas ---where I found the following:

• sharp, aching, or burning pain
• a pins-and-needles sensation
• muscle weakness
• numbness
• nighttime pain in back or neck

Depending on where the schwannoma is, you may feel these symptoms in your face, arms, legs, or torso. Your symptoms may change as the tumor gets bigger.

Many schwannomas occur on the nerve that connect your inner ear and brain. This is known as a vestibular schwannoma, or acoustic neuroma. In addition to the symptoms above, an acoustic neuroma can also cause:

• hearing problems in one or both ears
• ringing in one or both ears
• loss of coordination and balance

What causes schwannomas?
Aside from NF2 and schwannomatosis, researchers don’t know what causes schwannomas. People with a family history of spinal cancer are more likely to have a spinal schwannoma, which suggests they could be genetic. Exposure to radiation is another possible cause.
(cited from https://www.healthline.com/health/schwannoma#causes-and-risk-factors)

 

Oups, I forgot to relay my correspondence with Mr Henk Koning. He replied to me on 03/13/2016 :

Dear Frederic,

I saw your hearing test and I think that therapy of the ganglion cervical superior is most probably not gonna help you. Your hearing test is not showing a hearing deficit at 250 Hz.

 

I found this article today from the same researcher. I am still confused: I don't understand the inclusion/exclusion criteria of this treatment. Can anyone help me understand?