A ganglion impar block reduces chronic pelvic or rectal pain that is refractory to conventional therapies. It blocks painful nerve impulses. It is a minimally invasive procedure that is given in the area of the body known as the ganglion impar, which is located where the sacrum and coccygeus merge deep to the buttocks in the midline. It is done under x-ray guidance.
Pain in this region can present with burning or pain with bowel movements.This bundle of nerves sends pain and sympathetic signals to different structures around your body.
These include the:
- Distal rectum
- Anal region
- Perineum
- Distal urethra
- Distal vagina
- Scrotum or vulva
The underlying causes can be caused by a variety of conditions such as:
- Poor blood supply to nerves
- Chronic pancreatitis
- Non-malignant pain syndromes
- Cancer of the upper abdomen
- Vaginal protrusion or prolapse
- Testicular ablation
- Thrombosed veins after surgery
- Excess sweating in the perineum
- Rectal cancer
- Chronic perineal cancer
- Failed spine surgery
- Malformation of the spinal cord
- Sacral postherpetic neuralgia-pain that persists after a shingles outbreak
- Sexually transmitted diseases, chronic urinary tract infections and an inflamed prostate
- Coccydynia-pain from the tailbone from a fall or injury
