Limited Therapeutic Benefit of Phrenic Nerve Block in Five Cases of Intractable Hiccups: A Case Series
Friday, November 14, 2025
3:21 PM - 3:30 PM CT
Location: 301 - 302
Introduction: Pediatric patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) experience recurrent vaso-occlusive crises (VOC) causing severe pain and frequent hospitalizations. While opioids remain the mainstay, concerns about tolerance and side effects necessitatenon-opioid alternatives. Transauricularvagusnerve stimulation (taVNS) is a noninvasive technique targeting the auricular branch of the vagusnerve, shown to reduce inflammation and modulate pain in conditions like epilepsy, migraine, depression, and lupus. We report the first pediatric taVNScase for acute VOC pain.
