TITLE:
Ultrasound-Guided Dorsal Scapular Nerve Blockade in the Diagnosis and Management of Neck Pain
AUTHORS:
Alena Boros, Paul J. Ryan, Dominic C. Harmon
KEYWORDS:
Technique, Ultrasound, Neck Pain, Middle Scalene Muscle, Dorsal Scapular Nerve
JOURNAL NAME:
Pain Studies and Treatment,
Vol.11 No.2,
April
28,
2023
ABSTRACT: Neck pain is common and has multiple sources, but correct diagnosis and
matched treatment provide the best outcomes. The
first description of ultrasound-guided dorsal scapular nerve blockade using a
single-shot local anesthetic technique for the diagnosis and treatment of neck
pain is reported. A 38-year-old female patient presented with neck pain, and
the history and clinical examination strongly suggested myofascial pain
affecting the middle scalene muscle. The pain had been unresponsive to
pharmacological therapy or physiotherapy. After identifying the dorsal scapular
nerve (DSN) in the body of the middle scalene muscle, an ultrasound-guided
nerve block was performed using a single injection of local anesthetic to
alleviate the patient’s pain. It has been demonstrated that the dorsal scapular
nerve can be identified in the neck and effectively blocked using ultrasound
guidance. This technique has the potential to assist in the diagnosis and
treatment of neck pain originating from the middle scalene muscle.