Stellate ganglion: Definition from Answers.com

Nerve: Stellate ganglion

Plan of right sympathetic cord and splanchnic nerves. (Stellate ganglion not visible, but region is shown.)
Latin	ganglion cervicothoracicum, ganglion stellatum
From	inferior cervical ganglion, first thoracic ganglia
MeSH	Stellate+ganglion

The stellate ganglion (or cervicothoracic ganglion or inferior cervical ganglion) is a sympathetic ganglion formed by the fusion of the inferior cervical ganglion and the first thoracic ganglion. Stellate ganglion is located at the level of C7 (7th cervical vertebrae), anterior to the transverse process of C7, posterior to the neck of the first rib, and just below the subclavian artery.

Clinical significance

The clinical significance of these ganglion is that they may be cut in order to decrease the symptoms exhibited by Raynaud's phenomenon and hyperhydrosis (extreme sweating) of the hands. Injection of local anesthetics near the stellate ganglion can sometimes mitigate the symptoms of sympathetically mediated pain such as complex regional pain syndrome type I (reflex sympathetic dystrophy).

Stellate-ganglion block also shows great potential as a means of reducing the number of hot flashes and night awakenings suffered by breast cancer survivors and women experiencing extreme menopause.^[1]

Complications associated with a stellate ganglion block include Horner's syndrome, intra-arterial or intravenous injection, difficulty swallowing, vocal cord paralysis, epidural spread of local anaesthetic and pneumothorax.

Blunt needling of the stellate ganglion with acupuncture needle is used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to decrease sympathetically mediated symptoms as well.

Block of the stellate ganglion has also been explored in coronary artery bypass surgery.^[2]

References

^ Lancet, 2008
^ Yildirim V, Akay HT, Bingol H, et al. (2007). "Pre-emptive stellate ganglion block increases the patency of radial artery grafts in coronary artery bypass surgery". Acta anaesthesiologica Scandinavica 51 (4): 434–40. doi:10.1111/j.1399-6576.2006.01260.x. PMID 17378781.

External links

cervicothoracic+ganglion at eMedicine Dictionary
1738145852 at GPnotebook

v • d • e Nerves - autonomic nervous system (sympathetic nervous system/ganglion/trunks and parasympathetic nervous system/ganglion) (TA A14.3, GA 9.968)

Head/ cranial	Ciliary ganglion: roots (Sensory, Parasympathetic, Sympathetic) · Short ciliary Pterygopalatine ganglion: deep petrosal · nerve of pterygoid canal branches of distribution: greater palatine (inferior posterior nasal branches) · lesser palatine · nasopalatine (medial superior posterior nasal branches) · pharyngeal Submandibular ganglion Otic ganglion

Neck/ cervical	paravertebral ganglia: Cervical ganglia (Superior, Middle, Inferior) · Stellate ganglion prevertebral plexus: Cavernous plexus · Internal carotid

Chest/ thorax	paravertebral ganglia: Thoracic ganglia prevertebral plexus: Cardiac plexus · Esophageal plexus · Pulmonary plexus · Thoracic aortic plexus splanchnic nerves: cardiopulmonary · thoracic cardiac nerves: Superior · Middle · Inferior

Abdomen/ Lumbar	paravertebral ganglia: Lumbar ganglia prevertebral ganglia: Celiac ganglia (Aorticorenal) · Superior mesenteric ganglion · Inferior mesenteric ganglion prevertebral plexus: Celiac plexus · (Hepatic, Splenic, Pancreatic) · aorticorenal (Abdominal aortic plexus, Renal/Suprarenal) · Superior mesenteric (Gastric) · Inferior mesenteric (Spermatic, Ovarian) · Superior hypogastric (hypogastric nerve, Superior rectal) · Inferior hypogastric (Vesical, Prostatic/Cavernous nerves of penis, Uterovaginal, Middle rectal) splanchnic nerves: Lumbar splanchnic nerves enteric nervous system: Meissner's plexus · Auerbach's plexus

Pelvis/ sacral	paravertebral ganglia: Sacral ganglia · Ganglion impar splanchnic nerves: Pelvic splanchnic nerves · Sacral splanchnic nerves

All	Rami communicans (White, Gray) · Preganglionic fibers · Postganglionic fibers

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