Ultrasound-guided glossopharyngeal nerve block

glossopharyngeal neuralgia (GN) is a rare pain syndrome that affects the glossopharyngeal nerve (the ninthcranial nerve that lies deep within the neck) and causes sharp, stabbing pulses of pain in the back of the throatand tongue, the tonsils, and the middle earPharmacotherapy with anticonvulsants, tricyclic antidepressants, and anti-inflammatory agents is effective inrelieving paroxysmal pain in most glossopharyngeal neuralgia patients, but drug toxicities such as rash,diplopia, cognitive decline, decreased blood cell count, or liver dysfunction limit their efficacy.Glossopharyngeal nerve block provides transitory cessation of nerve impulse conduction for relief ofglossopharyngeal neuralgia via injection of local anesthetic and steroids and is usually well tolerated, and it isnot associated with serious adverse effectsBecause of the large number of bone structures around the glossopharyngeal nerve, the puncture needle ispositioned under fluoroscopic guidance during percutaneous peristyloid injection, and contrast media isinjected to confirm the extent of drug diffusion and whether the blood vessels are violated. Consequently, theprocedure is very inconvenient during operation.Ultrasound can visualize bone, soft tissue, and peripheral blood vessels in real time and directly observe thediffusion of drugs, effectively avoiding important structures such as blood vessels, and reducing theoccurrence of complications Ultrasound-guided glossopharyngeal nerve block via the styloid process is a safe,radiation-free, repeatable, convenient, and effective treatment. It can provide a treatment option for patientswith glossopharyngeal neuralgia