Sympathetic nerve block ball???

ERNurse752, RN · Jan 25, 2006

Don't have time to type much out, but go to google or another search engine and do a search for Q Ball post op pain relief.

I've seen it a couple times...works great

markjrn · Jan 25, 2006

Don't have time to type much out, but go to google or another search engine and do a search for Q Ball post op pain relief.
I've seen it a couple times...works great

Thanks for the response. :) The DW is supposed to be having this done for RSD in her foot and leg. We're not too sure how that's going to work...

ERNurse752, RN · Jan 25, 2006

You're welcome. I haven't seen it used for RSD, but I don't exactly see many pts with it either. Hopefully it works well!

JiffyGriff · Jan 26, 2006

We use the Q-ball on the floor I work on, I've seen it used a lot more the past 3 months. Just a small device with a small cannula (like an epidural cannula) that is placed directly into the incision site during surgery and continuously secretes medication into the site to releive pain. Pretty neat, helps relieve the pain and when the order is recieved it can just be pulled directly from the site by the RN just like removing an IV cannula.

Keysnurse2008 · Jan 26, 2006

We use the Q-ball on the floor I work on, I've seen it used a lot more the past 3 months. Just a small device with a small cannula (like an epidural cannula) that is placed directly into the incision site during surgery and continuously secretes medication into the site to releive pain. Pretty neat, helps relieve the pain and when the order is recieved it can just be pulled directly from the site by the RN just like removing an IV cannula.

We use them sometimes....they can actually even be placed intrathecally also and utilized for like multilevel lumbar fusions, thoracic cages, etc etc....I have also seen them utilized on MVA's with like acetab / hip fxs that had a "substance abuse issue" contributing to the MVA ( difficult to get pain control on).When we see these utilized it is usually on a patient with chronic pain that has had a MD place them on like MSContin at home...and when hospitalized post op ...it is almost impossible to get pain relief any other way. When the "ball" is deflated it is time to have your pain svc /anesthesia doc to either add more/ or remove the cath...other wise...except for just monitoring your cath insertion site...they are maintenance free.I am sure there are probably several diff types....but where I am at now....they are pretty maintenance free.

rn/writer, RN · Jan 26, 2006

Thanks for the response. :) The DW is supposed to be having this done for RSD in her foot and leg. We're not too sure how that's going to work...

This might seem off-topic, but I couldn't help but respond. I was diagnosed with RSD in my foot and ankle following a bad break and subsequent surgeries. Went through SIX spinal sympathetic nerve blocks (not to mention countless therapies, desensitization attempts, meds, TENS unit, etc.) and got minimal relief that lasted only several hours instead of the several months we had hoped for.

It turned out that I had a neuroma which, by the time I got the proper diagnosis, had been growing for five years. I had been unable to work because of the pain and had reached the point where the failure of all conventional relief methods had frustrated my various practitioners and gave them an increasingly skeptical view of my situation.

Finally, someone suggested I see a microsurgeon. He used several injections (one saline and one marcaine), and within 20 minutes was able to say that he could help me. The marcaine gave me my first pain-free day in more than five years. Several weeks later, he removed the neuroma and it reduced the pain and super-sensitivity by about 90%. I am working as a nurse again and living a much better life than I would be had he not been able to make the correct diagnosis.

I went back to my earlier practitioners and told them what had been causing me such grief. I also suggested that when they see someone with intractable pain and/or are inclined to make a diagnosis of RSD that they at least consider the possibility of a neuroma.

That is why I am posting this information. It may have no bearing whatsoever on your situation. Then again . . .

I hope all goes well with your wife.

Take care,

markjrn · Jan 26, 2006

Thanks to everyone for the replies - I sure appreciate the info. Since the DW is not having surgery (at least I don't think so), I wonder where they're going to implant this? At least it doesn't sound like it's a complex procedure to put in.

I appreciate all of the help! :)

markjrn · Jan 26, 2006

This might seem off-topic, but I couldn't help but respond. I was diagnosed with RSD in my foot and ankle following a bad break and subsequent surgeries. Went through SIX spinal sympathetic nerve blocks (not to mention countless therapies, desensitization attempts, meds, TENS unit, etc.) and got minimal relief that lasted only several hours instead of the several months we had hoped for.
It turned out that I had a neuroma which, by the time I got the proper diagnosis, had been growing for five years. I had been unable to work because of the pain and had reached the point where the failure of all conventional relief methods had frustrated my various practitioners and gave them an increasingly skeptical view of my situation.
Finally, someone suggested I see a microsurgeon. He used several injections (one saline and one marcaine), and within 20 minutes was able to say that he could help me. The marcaine gave me my first pain-free day in more than five years. Several weeks later, he removed the neuroma and it reduced the pain and super-sensitivity by about 90%. I am working as a nurse again and living a much better life than I would be had he not been able to make the correct diagnosis.
I went back to my earlier practitioners and told them what had been causing me such grief. I also suggested that when they see someone with intractable pain and/or are inclined to make a diagnosis of RSD that they at least consider the possibility of a neuroma.
That is why I am posting this information. It may have no bearing whatsoever on your situation. Then again . . .
I hope all goes well with your wife.
Take care,

I'm sorry you've had to go through so much. I really don't know that much about RSD other than it can be debilitating from pain. Her GP (and good friend and anesthesiologist) and 2 orthopedic surgeons both think it's RSD, but she's not convinced. So, the plan right now it to try this and go from there.

She had 6 fractures in her foot/ankle/leg and can't work either. If we can't get any relief, we're going to investigate the neuroma angle. We feel so dumb - we didn't even know RSD existed. :stone