Refractory occipital scalp pruritus treated with computed tomography-guided greater occipital nerve ablation |
| |
Authors: | Jeffrey Rosenthal Nicholas AuYong Robert Swerlick Brent D. Weinberg |
| |
Affiliation: | aDepartment of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, 1364 Clifton Road Northeast, Suite BG20, Atlanta, GA 30319, USA;bDepartment of Neurosurgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA;cDepartment of Dermatology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA |
| |
Abstract: | Greater occipital nerve blocks and thermal ablations have been widely discussed as an efficacious treatment strategy for multiple difficult to treat conditions, including occipital neuralgia, migraines, and cervicogenic headaches. Nerve blocks have also recently been presented as a method of treating neuropathic itch in the upper extremities, where pruritus occurs without visible dermatologic manifestations. We report a case of refractory occipital scalp pruritus in a patient who had excellent although time-limited response to greater occipital nerve blocks but achieved durable symptom control with CT-guided greater occipital nerve ablation. |
| |
Keywords: | Greater occipital nerve block CT-guided nerve ablation neuropathic itch |
|
|